Dead Last
by Call Brig On Over
Summary: Dr. Merlot could be described with three words: Insane, Brilliant and very Dead. However just because the creator was dead didn't mean that his creations would share the same fate. A victim of chance Jaune Arc becomes the subject of an experiment meant to test out one of the Doctors creations. But maybe this is a Blessing in Disguise.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Words written in Italic are the character's thoughts

* * *

Jaune wasn't an expert on hangovers or even drinking in general but he had been led to believe that a hangover was supposed to happen the morning after you went drinking. So why was he nursing the worst headache of his life while he was still in the bar?

"Are you okay lad?" the bartender asked cautiously, clearly worried though if the worry was for the sickly teen or the possibility that he would have to clean some vomit off of the floor.

Jaune did not respond, his headache was getting worse by the second. His vision was getting blurry, his heart was pounding and everything hurt.

"Kid? Are you all alright? Hey, do you need a doctor?"

This wasn't supposed to happen, this was supposed to be a celebration. He had been accepted into Beacon, he was on his way to prove to everyone that Jaune Arc didn't need protection, he could be the one who protected others. He was going to make friends, go on adventures and even get a girlfriend. It was just a few drinks, so why did he feel so cold while his veins felt like they held liquid fire? He needed to leave, he needed to head back to the hotel and rest his head a little. Jaune fell headfirst into the floor.

"Shit, someone call an ambulance! Kid! Stay With me! Kid!"

* * *

The next time Jaune opened his eyes he was in the back of what appeared to be an ambulance or least that is what he thought it was. He passed out again before he could get a real good look around or before any of the paramedics even noticed he awoke. The next time he awoke he was laid flat on a table in a white room surrounded by people wearing scrubs and face masks but, the most jarring of all was this wretched and constant Beeping noise that would not go away. Jaune turned his head and saw the Heart Monitor and just as he began to understand what was going on pain flooded his entire body, blocking any possibility of coherent thought.

"What's going on? He was stabilizing, what happened?" shouted one of the nurses.

Jaune's body was convulsing again far more violently than before, his body was now beginning to glow as his aura came to life desperately trying to heal and protect the body. The surgeon and the nurses could only stare as Jaune's aura began to dim then flicker and finally ceased along with Jaune's life.

"What are you waiting for? Get the Defibrillator!" The head surgeon commanded snapping everyone else out of their shock. Within moments the Doctor has the defibrillators in his hands fully charged. And attempts to shock life back into the corpse. Nothing, so another attempt is made which is followed by yet another failure, which is followed by yet another failure. "Dammit, I thought I finally found something worthwhile. Everyone. Clear the Room," spoke the doctor. Within a few minutes, Dr. Arthur Watts was alone with the body of Jaune Arc. "Well I suppose there is a little silver lining in all of this," Dr. Watt's said as he walked over to a cabinet and opening it to reveal a variety of blades all different sizes, shapes and design "At least now there are a few less Would-Be huntsmen to interfere with my mistress's plans." Dr. Watts was now standing over Jaune with a cruel jagged knife in his hands "Well young man, let's give you some battle scars."

* * *

Jaune woke up screaming. It was not because he was scared and he certainly wasn't angry, he was just screaming and that worried him. It took Jaune an unknown amount of time to compose himself and observe his surroundings. Jaune was in a forest, he didn't know where this forest was but, he hoped that it was close to the bar that he did remember going to. He remembered being accepted into Beacon, going to celebrate by drinking, he remembered a man with a big bushy mustache buying him the drinks and patting him on the back to congratulate him and after that… nothing. "I guess, really went all out with the celebration and here I thought this kind of thing only ever happened in movies."

*CRACK*

Jaune spun around to see the source of the noise and beheld a Beowolf staring right at him and walked towards him ever slowly and for the second time that day, Jaune screamed. Without warning the Beowolf rushed Jaune and viciously backhanded him knocking him into a tree. Jaune was able to quickly recover and made some distance between himself and the Grimm that was once again staring at him and standing oddly still. Thanking god for a break Jaune reached for his sword and then he cursed god when he found that the sword wasn't there. "Shit! Where is It?" Jaune looked back to see the Beowolf approaching him cautiously and so Jaune began to slowly back away himself.

*BANG*

The monster's snapped to the side and Jaune took that opportunity to start combing the area for his weapon while once again thanking god for whoever had shot the Beowolf.

*BANG* *BANG*

Jaune was able to find his sword embedded in a tree not too far away from where he initially awoke and his shield was located a little further away hidden under a bush, "Man finding this shield would have been next to impossible it wasn't white."

"You alright kid?"

"Ahhh!" Upon hearing the voice behind him, Jaune spun around to face the source with his shield raised to protect himself along with his sword. Standing before Jaune was a tall pale man whose red-colored eyes made Jaune recall some old ghost stories he heard as a child. However, the intimidation factor was cut by the fact that the stranger dressed and acted like a somewhat drunk businessman. "Kid, could you please put down the sword, I'm not here to… " The stranger who was already uncomfortably close came even closer and Jaune could now smell the alcohol in the man's breath but also the concern in his eyes. "Are you bleeding? Is there Anything broken? How many fingers am I holding up?" The man was frantic.

"Um, three fingers? I'm sorry what happened?" Answered a very confused Jaune.

"Kid, I don't want to alarm you…but you might want to take a good look at yourself," the stranger produced a small shaving mirror and handed it over to Jaune who cautiously took it from the man. Jaune was a mess no, that was a severe understatement, his armor was ruined! It looked like the Grimm used it for a Bloody Chew Toy! How was he still in one piece? Before Jaune could continue his thoughts the stranger spoke again. "This is going to sound weird, but I need you to take off your chest plate and hoodie."

"Why?"

"To check for wounds."

A part of Jaune wanted to protest however the bigger far more rational part of Jaune's mind acknowledged that the man had a point and so his took off his what was left of his chest plate and hoodie, revealing a set of four scars that looked like a massive claw just scraped across Jaune's chest. Furthermore, on Jaune's right shoulder was another scar that looked like a massive bite mark.

"Damn, kid… your aura must be incredible."

"My what?"

"You, don't know what aura is? What were you doing here? I swear to the brothers, kid you better not be just another stupid wanna be huntsman!"

"What! No! I got accepted into Beacon and I was celebrating!"

The man calmed down considerably and even had an understanding look on his face. "Let me guess, you had a celebratory drink and then another and another and so on."

"Yeah…," Jaune admitted with no small amount of embarrassment.

"Well, that explains a lot, well ain't no use sticking around here's. Come on, I'll take you back to town."

"Thanks, um… who are you?" Jaune finally asked.

"Names Qrow, now come on and let's go back to civilization," Qrow said, already walking away. Once there we can see about, replacing your broken armor, can't be having you show up without it, now can we?"

"Hopefully no?" Answered Jaune a little nervously.

"Dat's Right!" laughed Qrow as the two began their trek back to town.

* * *

It only took Jaune and Qrow a little over an hour to make it back to town but, it wasn't the same town that Jaune went drinking. It was far bigger and much busier.

"This isn't the town I was in."

"Are you sure kid?"

"Yeah, I was drinking in Jouburg, you know that town?"

"Kid, this town is Lodun which is about 40 miles west of Jouburg."

Jaune was shocked and beyond confused. How did he find himself in Lodun's woods? There is no way he made the trip in one night while drunk and nursing a hangover. Did someone take him there? If so than Who and Why? Jaune was then snapped back to reality by a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey kid we're…," a look of concern came over Qrow's face. "Come I'll take you to my place."

"Your place?" Jaune was confused, as they were already standing in front of a doctor's office so why did Qrow want to take Jaune somewhere else? "We're already at the doctor's. Why do we need to go to your place?"

"Look, kid, I just need you to trust me. There is something I want to check and it could be nothing but when your luck is as bad as mine. Well, you learn to stop taking chances." Normally Jaune was not the kind of naive fool to go into the home of a complete stranger but Qrow did save him from a Beowolf and lead him back to town.

"Well, my mother did once tell me that strangers were just friends you haven't met and you did help me out back there. Alright then, lead the way Qrow." With that, Qrow led Jaune to his house which wasn't too far away from the doctor's office. The house itself wasn't very big or looked too inviting. It looked more like a criminal hideout, which made Jaune begin to question whether or not he could trust Qrow.

Qrow noticed the unsure look on Jaune's face. So Qrow pulled out his Huntsman license showing to Jaune before explaining the house, "This isn't really my house, it's just temporary housing for while I'm working in this area. It's not pretty but it doesn't cost me a dime, which makes it a rather sweet perk of the job." The look of uncertainty faded a bit from Jaune's face and while it was clear that the boy wasn't completely convinced, he was still willing to follow Qrow inside the house.

Once inside Jaune was taken aback by the interior of the house, it was surprisingly clean and organized though apart from a sofa and a TV there wasn't much in the way of decorations unless the occasional empty bottle and cans of beer could be counted as decorations. Jaune then turned to Qrow, "Well now what?"

"For starters, you should go take a shower, don't worry about your hoodie. I have a shirt that I think will fit you. Though I have nothing to replace your armor yet, I think that I can come up with something."

Once inside the show Jaune hesitantly took off his clothes and then gave himself a good hard look in the mirror. Jaune did not like what he saw. Jaune was pale, sickly pale like someone had drained the color out of him and the scars… Qrow told him that he had large scars on his chest but those scars were so big and there were so many smaller scars on his body. How am I still alive, thought Jaune.

Thirty minutes later Jaune emerged from the shower and found a set of clean clothes along with a slightly dented white cuirass. After putting on the clothes Jaune heard Qrow calling out to him from a different part of the house. "How was the water? Was it warm?" Jaune was taken aback by the oddly specific question but answered anyway.

"Um, you may want to have your heater checked because while the water wasn't cold, it sure was lukewarm. Anyway, what's with the armor, I thought you didn't have any?"

"Oh, that? Well, I have this friend of mine who's a bit on the paranoid side of things and they were staying here just a couple of months ago."

"Um, that doesn't answer my question."

"I was getting to it kid, geez. Anyway, I don't use armor but my friend does and he likes to store his old armor just in case he needs it later."

"Is it okay for me to take it?"

"Sure, it's okay. There are two other chest plates in the closet like this one."

"Well if you're sure it's okay!" Jaune was pleasantly surprised by the gift. It wasn't every day that you got drunk and woke up in the forest near a town 40 miles away covered in scars that you couldn't remember how you got. Honestly, he thought he was going to die back there but that was the past, life was moving on and so was Jaune.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Hey, kid! Are you decent?" inquired Qrow. from the other side of the door.

"I'm fine, you can come in," answered Jaune.

Qrow then came into the room carrying two mugs of coffee, one which he then handed to Jaune who took it. The two then begin to drink in the silence at least until Qrow nervously puts his cup down and looks right at Jaune. "Kid, this is gonna sound weird but, can I take your pulse?"

"What."

"Your, pulse kid. There are a few things that haven't been adding up and checking your pulse would help answer them."

"Am I sick?"

"Maybe."

Jaune then took off his glove and held out his arm. Qrow wordlessly took the arm and placed his fingers on Jaune's wrist. After a few seconds, Qrow let go of Jaune's wrist and took a long drink from his coffee before speaking. "That Beowolf didn't know what to do with you, it hesitated, it was confusing. Almost. like it didn't know what it was looking at, your skin is pale and cold, the heater isn't broken, you just couldn't feel the heat and you don't have a pulse."

"I don't have a pulse?"

"Kid, what's the date?"

"The 16th, why? What's going on?"

Qrow then took a deep breath, "Jaune… it's the 23rd."

Jaune was shocked silent but before he could process the revelation Qrow continued, "I have a friend that works at a bar in Jouburg, just five days ago he called me up and tells me about a kid that was in his place."

"That was me, wasn't it?"

"I think it was."

"What did your friend say?"

Qrow was silent for a few seconds and then he looked Jaune right in the eyes, "He thinks he saw you die."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: I should have made this clear earlier but, things that are written in italic are what the character is thinking. Once Again I apologize for not making that clear on the 1st chapter.

* * *

"Explain Now."

Ozpin first took a sip from his mug not out of any disrespect to his ever responsible and trustworthy aid and comrade Miss Glynda Goodwitch. No, he was just thirsty and any enjoyment he got from her reaction was purely coincidental. However, now wasn't the time for jokes so with all due seriousness Headmaster Ozpin put his mug down and looked Glynda right in the eye. "Is this about Mr. Arc?"

"With all due respect Ozpin, you did read Dr. Gris' report?"

"Yes I did and he clearly wrote that Jaune's condition wasn't contagious."

"It also said that the boy needed to be placed under observation."

"And we can observe him right here in Beacon."

"You cannot be serious."

"Glynda, where else can I place him? Where can I be absolutely sure that Salem won't be able to reach him?"

"Send him to Atlas, James can and will keep Mr. Arc far far away from Salem and her cronies."

"And what of the military?"

"What about them?"

"If they find out about Jaune's condition then they will try to take advantage of him, even James wouldn't be able to stop them. No, here in Beacon is where we can not only watch him and keep him safe but, we can give him the tools he needs to survive and even save others."

Glynda paused, closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm down before speaking again. "Ozpin, I have supported you time and time again. I have covered your ass time and time again. I would love to simply trust you but, this is too big and too important with far too many people at risk."

Ozpin set his coffee down, he wasn't joking around anymore. Glynda was right and he knew it, Jaune was not potentially dangerous he was dangerous right now. However, Ozpin couldn't ignore the potential that was right in front of him and even if they couldn't use Mr. Arc's condition they could still use the boy. "Miss Goodwitch I assure you that I wouldn't be doing this. I haven't considered the consequences but, I believe the consequences of driving Mr. Arc way would be far far worse. At least this way we can keep an eye on him and teach him how to use his abilities to help people. And that's assuming he has any."

"I have one condition."

"Only one?"

"Yes Ozpin, I have only one condition and it is this. You will tell the others without delay."

"I agree."

Glynda then pulled out her scroll and handed it to Ozpin who took it with a chuckle "I know you said without delay but, I didn't think you meant this soon." Ozpin then began dialing as Glynda watched to make sure he upheld his promise.

* * *

Jaune was sitting in the Bullhead flying towards Beacon and he was miserable. It wasn't because of the knowledge that he was some manner of living corpse no, he has had a bit of time to come to grips with that knowledge. The problem came from his motion sickness, which despite what common sense and logic would suggest hasn't left him alone. One might think that this familiar feeling would be a welcome sensation, a kind reminder that Jaune Arc still existed instead of some kind of monstrous aberration towards the world. Jaune would kindly ask those people to sit down and shut the hell up, motion sickness is not the way he wanted to be reminded of his still present humanity.

And now his motion sickness was threatening him with something worse than death itself: Public Humiliation.

However, not all was lost! Soon the bullhead would land and he would be in Beacon, he would be on solid ground and he would have won. All he had to do was hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on…

Jaune slowly walked off the bullhead with his head hung in shame, his life was over… again. Now everyone will know him as Puke Man! Now he will never get a girlfriend while… in Beacon anyway. Though truth be told maybe it wasn't all that bad. After all getting a girlfriend was completely out the question, at least until he knew the exact details of his… condition.

*BOOOOOM*

"YOU DOLT! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED US!"

* * *

It was an accident," Ruby did not know who this angry princess looking girl was but, she was rude and mean. Not to mention that it wasn't her fault that she sneezed causing the explosion! A Vial of dust had been waved in her face, how could she not Sneeze?

"What are you even doing here!? This is Beacon! It's not a place for kids."

Now Ruby may have been a young, easily excitable girl but, it took a lot for her to become angry and thanks to her sister ditching her and the explosion and this so incredibly rude snowflake Ruby had reached her limit, "Now you Listen to Princess!"

"Heiress actually."

Ruby and Weiss turned around to look at the young lady who had just inserted herself into the conversation. She was taller than either of them but what got their attention was her amber-colored eyes and the big black almost comical looking bow sitting right on the stranger's head. Before they could say anything the stranger continued. "Weiss Schnee Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company which is the world's number one provider of Dust."

"Thank You," Weiss said rather pleased that at least someone had a functioning brain around here.

"They are also infamous for their ruthless business practices, their exploitation and mistreatment of their Faunus employees and of course the health and safety code violations that can be found in their Faunus operated mines."

Weiss changed her mind. This girl was just as bad and maybe even worse than the klutz that nearly killed her just thirty seconds ago. "I do not have to stand for this and I won't." With that Weiss left the conversation.

"Oh thanks, for the save um… I didn't get your name," Ruby nervously said hoping to make a new friend.

"My name is Blake and goodbye," and with that Blake was gone. Left all alone Ruby fell to her knees out of exhaustion and for a brief moment wished she was back in Signal Academy. It was at that moment a shadow fell upon her and she found a gloved hand being offered to her to help her back on her feet. Once back on her feet she was able to get a good look at the guy who had helped her.

"Thank you… wait a second," she said while examining his face. "Weren't you on the same bullhead as me?"

Jaune had a feeling he knew where this was going so tried to lie, "What? No, that's silly."

"You're Vomit Boy!"

"Getting motion sick from air turbulence is a very common thing!" declared Jaune to Ruby while thinking to himself, Vomit boy eh? Well, I guess it's better than Puke man.

Dammit, Ruby, you are going to mess up your chance to make at least one friend here, Ruby then offered her hand to Jaune, "No you're right and I'm sorry."

Jaune took the hand, "All is forgiven… Crater Face."

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Ha ha…!," Jaune and Ruby laughed not at each other but, with each other.

"Oh, I needed that, thank you um… who are you?" Ruby asked.

"Jaune Arc, short sweet, rolls off the tongue. The ladies love it."

"Ruby Rose, and do the ladies really love it?"

"Well, they better because that's the only line I know."

"Well, I hope your weapon is better than your pick up line."

"Well, you tell me," Jaune said while pulling his sword out of its sheath while transforming said sheath into its shield form and showing both to Ruby.

"Hmmm… it's simple, straightforward and real classical beauty. I especially like how the shield doubles as the sheath but at the same time isn't uncomfortable to walk with the extra weight on one side?"

"It's only awkward at the beginning, so what about you? What's your weapon?"

Ruby reached underneath her cloak and pulled out what appeared to be a gun of some sort, however, the "gun," quickly expanded turning into a Massive Scythe which Ruby began to hug, "This is my baby Crescent Rose! She's a Scythe and a .50 caliber Sniper Rifle! And let me tell you it took forever to make her work!"

"Wait! You made that Monster!?" Jaune was flabbergasted and impressed and feeling somewhat inadequate.

"Well, in Signal we have to forge our weapons. Though I will admit that my uncle who also uses a scythe helped me out, a lot. So, what's the story with your weapon?"

"My great-great-grandfather used it in The Great war."

"That's so cool!"

"RUBY WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!" shouted a blond young lady who was waving at Ruby.

"Oh, that's my sister! Sorry, Jaune but I got to go, I'll talk to you later!" and with that Ruby was off leaving Jaune by himself.

Sisters? Those two look nothing alike… maybe they're stepsisters? Huh…, I wonder how my sisters are doing. Jaune snapped himself out of it. If he starts thinking about his sisters now he would then start thinking about home and about his mom and his dad and how worried they must be… Which is why Jaune couldn't allow himself to think about them too much. And so with a somewhat heavier heart, Jaune began his way to the Auditorium for orientation.

It took a little bit of time but Jaune was able to find a large building that, judging by the new students walking towards it, was where orientation was going to take place. Jaune was about to go inside the building when he was stopped by a short, annoyed-looking man wearing an eye patch. "Jaune, Imma gonna need you to come with me to the medical bay."

Normally a situation like this would make Jaune and pretty much the rest of the world rather nervous. After all, a stranger suddenly stopping you can be nerve-wracking no matter what they are going to tell you, but that wasn't why Jaune was nervous. This man wasn't a stranger, this was the doctor that Qrow took him to after his… rather unique condition was uncovered, it was thanks to this man that Jaune was even able to come to Beacon.

Jaune was nervous because the guy was kind of an asshole.

* * *

The medical bay was, despite the coldness of the name, a rather nice and comfortable place. Though it only made sense since rested people healed far faster and better than stressed-out people. That said it was only thanks to the size and influence of the academy that the medical bay could be such a lovely place if it wasn't for the doctor's attitude Jaune would have been tempted to spend some free time in the waiting room. Suddenly a plastic cup was shoved into Jaune's face. "Spit."

*PTUI*

Two more cups were then handed to Jaune, "Piss in the blue cup and put some of your shit in the green one. You already know which restroom to use. Now git," Gris then walked out of the room before Jaune could voice a complaint or even think of asking why he was here instead of with the other new arrivals.

It was only after Jaune handed the two cups back to Gris did he get his chance to ask.

"Why am I here?"

"Sit down and roll youse sleeve," instructed Gris and Jaune complied. Gris then pulled out a syringe and prepared the blood vials and when that was done he began to clean a spot on Jaune's arm. "You're here because some people are pussies." Gris then stabbed Jaune's arm with the syringe.

"What?" Jaune didn't even notice the needle entering his arm.

"Like I said, kid. Some pussies wanted a double-check," Gris then changed vials. "So I figure, les grab the kid while the others are sleeping. Figure, since you don't sleep, it wouldn't be a problem."

"But what about the friends I could be making?"

"Friends that may not even be here by the end of tomorrow." Gris was now finished drawing blood from him and was placing a bandage on the arm.

"What does that mean?" Asked an extremely concerned Jaune.

"Please come this way." Gris then led Jaune into a different room filled with various scanning equipment and pointed to a chair. "Take off your clothes and put them on the chair, when you're done please stand in over there with your arms raised." Once Jaune was standing in the right spot Gris answered the question, "There is an initiation exam and most of those kids are going to fail, hell you might end up failing as well."

Jaune was flabbergasted but at the same time he sort of understood, Huntsmen hold the most dangerous and important job on Remnant. It only makes sense that the requirements are high. But at the same time..., "What happens to the ones who fail?" a rather concerned Jaune questioned.

"Most of em just go on to other smaller schools or head into different careers and a rather small bunch will enter college. Now stand over there and put your hands down, the sooner we finish the sooner I'll get to go to sleep." Jaune who also wanted to get away from this lab as soon as possible complied.

* * *

If there was one good thing about being dragged off into a lab in the middle of the night is that Jaune was able to avoid all of the early morning traffic. He was practically the first one in the cafeteria and was able to get a pot that allowed him to watch people as they entered, partly out of curiosity about his fellow hopefuls but, mostly because he wanted a chance to keep talking with his new friend from yesterday. However, he underestimated just how many prospective students were at Beacon and failed to find Ruby in the ocean of bodies. Oh well, I guess I'll just try and catch up with Ruby at the Lockers. Even if I don't find her there I can try again just before the initiation exam. With that Jaune continued to eat his breakfast.

* * *

Weiss Schnee was thrilled no, she was ecstatic because of all the people her locker could be right next to, she was next to Pyrrha "Goddess of Victory Nikos! Now Weiss was not some kind of rabid fangirl, no she was simply seeking the acquaintanceship/lifelong partnership of someone she could call an equal.

"Um, excuse me…"

Now Weiss remember that you just can't ask Pyrrha to be your partner, you have to first make her understand why you are the best possible partner for her. With that Weiss walked right to Pyrrha and began her pitch, "So Pyrrha, I was wondering if I could trouble you with a quick question?"

Pyrrha who had been minding her own business turned to face the heiress, wondering what could be troubling the young lady, "Sure, ask away."

This is it, Weiss, now don't go all in at once. Take it slow. "Have you given any thought to who you are going to partner with?" Real smooth Weiss, Real Smooth.

"I could use some help here."

Pyrrha was briefly taken aback as she most certainly did not expect Weiss to be so straightforward, I guess it wasn't fair of me to assume things about her just because she was an heiress. If that's the case maybe she'll understand me. "Well Weiss, I was planning to just let fate decide for me."

"You see I am having trouble finding my locker."

Weiss was shocked but she couldn't allow herself to seem surprised. Come on Weiss you cannot let this opportunity slip by. Weiss was about to raise a few points on the topic of why she was the best possible partner for Pyrrha when…

"And I could really use some help."

"Could you please Shut Up!" Weiss turned around to face the asshole who kept trying to bug her and Pyrrha. "We are trying to discuss something important here!"

"I'm sorry but there are just so many Lockers here and they all look alike!" Jaune was truly sorry but he really did need the help. "Look I just want to find locker number Six Three Six!"

"Oh, that's the locker right over there!" Pyrrha said while pointing at a nearby locker.

"Oh thank you! You're a lifesaver!"

"It's nothing, pretty much everyone needs help finding their locker on the first day. By the way, I'm Pyrrha." She said while offering her hand to the funny stranger.

Jaune eagerly took Pyrrha's hand and gave it a nice shake while a confused and rather pissed off Weiss continued to watch with disbelief. "Well, Pyrrha it means a lot to me!" Suddenly the voice of Glynda Goodwitch could be heard over the intercoms.

"Could the new Arrivals please make their way over the Emerald Forest. I repeat. Could the new arrivals make their way over to the Emerald Forest."

"Thank you again, Pyrrha and Good Luck!" With that Jaune ran over to his locker to get his things, while an assumed Pyrrha and an annoyed Weiss watched.

"Well he was rude, I mean who did he think he was talking to?"

"I don't think he knew who I was, Weiss."

"Oh, so he is ignorant and rude."

"I honestly find it rather refreshing. Well, Weiss shall we be off?" With that Pyrrha and Weiss went on ahead to the Emerald Forest as Jaune continued to grab his things. Good luck to you as well, Jaune. Thought Pyrrha to herself.

* * *

Author's Notes:

First off let me address why Jaune didn't hit on Weiss and the reason is: While he is handling his condition well, it is still something that weighs heavily on his mind. Thus, romance isn't something he wants to deal with right now.

Secondly, the next chapter will be delving into exactly what his condition is, how it works and what we can expect from Jaune.

Lastly is a little bit of a fun fact: Doctor Gris was originally supposed to be the huntsman to save Jaune in chapter 1. However I realized that I would have to make a second OC to play the doctor, so I decided to let Qrow be the hero to keep OC's to a minimum.


	3. Chapter 3

It turns out that when Glynda had asked the new arrivals to gather at the Emerald Forest, what she meant was to gather at the cliffs that were Next to the Emerald Forest. Fortunately for Jaune, Gris was kind enough to inform him of the proper location. But, did he need to treat me like an idiot who would have never figured it out. Looking to the left and then to his right Jaune noticed that the number of students at the cliffs was a bit smaller than the number of students at orientation. I wonder if any of them are lost in the forest.

Headmaster Ozpin and his right hand Professor Glynda Goodwitch arrived on the scene and approached the eager prospects who were watching the pair with a strange and yet, appropriate mix of nervousness and excitement. Ozpin sensing the mood decided not to keep them waiting and began his explanation, "Soon you will all descend into the Emerald Forest, once inside you will need to find a relic and return to the cliffside with the relic in hand to pass."

Now it was Glynda's turn, "During the test, you also will decide who your partner will be. For those of you who pass these partnerships will last for the entirety of your stay in Beacon. It is rather common for partnerships to last even beyond graduation so you must be able to work together."

Now it was Ozpin's turn and he was quite happy to continue, "That said, the very first person that you lock eyes with will be your partner for the next four years of your life and possibly beyond if you can pass the trail." And like clockwork, the floodgates were opened. I never get tired of their reactions.

"Professor, what do you mean?"

"I have a question!"

"I have a few concerns!"

And so on and on until Ozpin with the assistance of Glynda was able to silence the crowd. "The Academies exist to prepare you for the realities of this career and to make you understand what your responsibilities and obligations are along with your rights. One of those realities is that Huntsmen don't often get to choose who they will work with. So what better way for you to learn how to work with strangers than pair you up with one? Now if the first person you lock eyes with is a friend, then there is no problem. But we will be watching and we will know if you try and cheat the system."

Once again Glynda took over, "In short find a partner, find a relic and remember that it is one relic per pair. Do not return to the Cliff carrying more than one Relic. You all have five hours to complete this." She took a moment to let the information sink in before asking, "Are there any questions?"

Jaune raised his hand, "So, how are we going to get down there?"

Glynda looked right at Jaune with a look that could freeze the blood, something that Jaune did notice with no small amount of visible concern and fear on his face. "The platforms you are standing on will launch you into the forest. Landing is your responsibility and if you feel like you can't handle it. Then perhaps you should seek out a different career." Almost as soon as she was done, Jaune was launched into the forest.

Ozpin then leaned in close to Glynda and whispered, "That was entirely unnecessary."

"Ozpin, with all due respect I have not been convinced that Jaune's inclusion here was a good idea. A sentiment that I might add, has been expressed by the others."

"I understand Glynda and I will do my best to convince you and the others that this is the right course of action. But please Glynda, let us save that discussion for the meeting and just enjoy the beginning of the trial."

"Sir, with all due respect we don't have the time. The meeting is in an hour."

Ozpin then pulled out his scroll and began spectating through the use of the multitude of cameras hidden throughout the forest. "Well then let's enjoy the time we have left."

* * *

Jaune was tumbling uncontrollably through the air but he was not worried. Alright, all I have to do it Flare my Aura just like Qrow taught me and use it to shield my body from the crash. But, what if it doesn't work. What if the crash completely destroys my body? Or what if I land in a nest of… whatever kind of Grimm makes nests? What then?

However, none of those thoughts mattered, as at that exact moment a Javelin hit Jaune right on his back and carried him down into the forest where he hit the ground in a rather ugly manner.

"Sorry!" shouted an extremely apologetic Pyrrha.

* * *

The first two things that most people who come into Ozpin's office will notice is the incredible view of Vale and the mysterious set of gears right in the middle of the office. While the gears were still visible the view was now sadly obscured by the numerous monitors in the way. On the monitors were the faces of the other members of Ozpin inner circle with the most notable being, The ever drunk and ever-reliable agent Qrow Branwen, General James Ironwood the head of the Academy and Armies of Atlas and the Headmaster of Minstrel's Honorable Haven's Academy Leo Lionheart.

"Ah, Leo it has been a while since we've last talked. Is everything alright?" Ozpin genuinely inquired, curious as to what exactly his friend has been up to lately.

"Well… Ozpin, things have been. Well, let's just say that it has been a rather interesting semester here at Haven." Leo nervously answered.

James Ironwood was not a man for pleasantries so he decided to put an end to it, "Ozpin my old friend. As much as I would love to spend my time catching up with everyone, I do have a school to run so can we get to the point."

"Well, James I suppose you're right. We are here to talk about Jaune Arc."

* * *

Weiss Schnee was furious and the cause of her anger wasn't too far behind, Ruby Rose. It's not that Weiss had anything personally against the girl but, that brat nearly killed her yesterday with that dust explosion and she would be damned before she entrusted her life to that child. So with nothing against Little Red Riding Hood, Weiss would search for other options.

"Ugh…"

Sounds like there is someone up ahead, though it sadly doesn't sound like Pyrrha. That said whoever it is, will be better than Ruby. With that in mind, Weiss marched forward but upon reaching the source of the voice, she stopped. Shocked at what she saw, it was the guy from the locker room and he was laying on the ground, with Pyrrha's Javelin impaling him from behind. Weiss was dumbfounded, That's Pyrrha's weapon, so did she do this? But, why would she kill him?

"Uh…"

He's still alive! With that realization Weiss was about to run over and help him but, then his body began to glow and he rose to his knees and began to pull the Javelin out of his body. She should have stopped him, she should have told him that the Javelin was the only thing keeping him from bleeding out and she would have. but, his eyes. Those eyes… those aren't the eyes of a human. So Weiss chose to hide instead and shortly afterward she was joined by Ruby who had seen Weiss hide and decided to hide with her. Together, they saw Jaune pull the Javelin out of his armored back and most importantly, they saw the bloody gaping hole made by the Javelin.

* * *

"A Pseudo Grimm, what in the world does that mean?" Ironwood rightfully demanded.

"That my friend is a description that Gris came up with and one that I strongly disagree with." Ozpin quickly answered and then continued, "The boy is simply a victim of a failed experiment by Dr. Merlot to turn people into Grimm and I must emphasize that the experiment was a failure."

"Ozpin, Dr. Merlot is dead. He died at Mt. Glenn and we have spent every day since that dark day finding and destroying his labs and his godforsaken research. So when you tell me the boy is a victim of his experiments, I need to know how."

"I can answer that Jimmy," said Qrow. "It turns out that there was another lab hidden a few miles south of a little town called Jouburg and if I had to guess, one of Salem's cronies found the lab and decided to run their own little experiment."

Ironwood looked horrified. "Are you telling me, that Salem now has the means to infect people with-"

"James, calm down!" Glynda interrupted, "Qrow reported that he found the boy lost and confused in the woods with his body mutilated to look like a Grimm had killed him. Furthermore, there is a week missing from his memory and Qrow's investigation revealed that the boy had been drinking in a bar to celebrate his acceptance into Beacon."

"So, what you're suggesting is that they didn't know the experiment had succeeded and that they tried to cover it up?" Leo inquired.

"Stories of would-be-huntsmen celebrating with heavy drinks and being found dead in some Grimm infested wilderness is not unheard of. The fact that his body was arranged to support that story is proof that Salem doesn't know of the experiment's success. Therefore she will not waste any time searching for what she thinks is a pointless failed experiment, we on the other hand now have the chance to take something meant for evil and use it for good!" Ozpin passionately declared.

* * *

Many people have certain misconceptions about Arua. The most common of these various misconceptions is that Aura is an automatic defense, this is horrifically false. The two very first things that huntsman-in-training are taught is that Aura needs to be manually activated and that the best way to take out a huntsman is through a surprise attack.

That is how Jaune found himself in his current situation, Struck in the back by a Javelin that would have killed or gravely wounded anyone else and crash-landed with enough speed to kill anyone who could have survived the Javelin. However Jaune's condition made him a bit more resilient than others, but he was still rendered unconscious. Now he had no control of his actions.

Meanwhile Weiss and Ruby were able to remain hidden but unable to tear their eyes away from the gruesome sight. They had already seen Jaune tear the Javelin out of his back and that was gruesome enough on its own. However, it did not prepare them for the sickening cacophony of **Crunching** and **Snapping** as his broken bones pulled themselves back together twisting the poor young man's body in terrifying and wholly unnatural manners until finally stopping. Jaune was now lying unconscious on the floor and his stillness and silence were somehow even more nerve-wracking.

Ruby got up and began to make her way to Jaune but Weiss grabbed Ruby by the sleeves.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Weiss nearly shrieked. "That thing over there is dangerous and you just want to walk over and say hello?"

"That Thing is named Jaune and he needs our help!"

"Help? Help? Were you not paying attention? What we just saw wasn't natural, he is dangerous!"

"Look I'll admit that this was… freaky but, it could just be his Semblance."

"And what kind of Semblance could that be?"

"Rapid regeneration."

Weiss didn't know what to say, on one hand, Rapid Regeneration didn't sound like a real Semblance but then again what about Summoning? Semblances were strange things that no one could explain how they worked or why they worked or how some few were hereditary and the rest weren't. As much as the heiress hated admitting she was wrong, she had to admit that Ruby had a point. So with a little hesitation, she let go of Ruby's sleeve and joined Ruby in walking over to Jaune's unconscious form to check on him.

Upon reaching Jaune Weiss checked the spot on his back where the Javelin had pierced him and found to her surprise that the wound had already sealed itself up, though leaving a very visible scar. Perhaps Ruby was right. I may need to apologize to her later for my earlier attitude. I may have to apologize to Jaune as well.

"His aura is in the red, Weiss we have to take him with us."

Weiss turned to see Ruby on her scroll looking over Jaune. "How do you know his Aura is in the red?"

"I have an Aura scanner on my Scroll. Either way, we can't leave him here, the Grimm might find him now help me carry him." With that said Ruby took one of Jaune's arms over her shoulder and Weiss did the same but only after securing Pyrrha's Javelin to her waist. Once they managed to get a comfortable grip they began carrying Jaune to safety, but as they were leaving Weiss couldn't help but wonder, Why did Pyrrha attack Jaune and what are we going to do if she finds us?

She didn't have to wonder for very long.

"Jaune, are you alright?"

Weiss and Ruby spun around and beheld the sight of Pyrrha emerging from some bushes, she looked around for a bit before spotting Weiss and Ruby and began walking towards them. Weiss then dropped Jaune and pulled out her sword Myrtenaster and began forming glyphs. "Ruby take Jaune and leave now."

"What why?" Ruby asked confused by Weiss' hostile action towards Pyrrha.

"Because Pyrrha is the one who attacked Jaune!"

Pyrrha was flabbergasted "What! What do you mean I attacked him?" Then she saw Jaune's unconscious form being carried by Ruby as well as her Javelin that Weiss was carrying. She soon made the connection. Did I do that? Did I accidentally hit Jaune? "No!" Pyrrha nearly shouted, "I didn't mean to hurt him! I was trying to help him."

"Ungh…"

"Help him!? Help Him!? You threw a Javelin to help him!? Pyrrha Nikos, I can't believe that you would honestly think that I or anyone would actually fall for such an obvious lie! And to think I wanted to team up with you!" Weiss was now on the verge of attacking Pyrrha.

"Ungh…"

Ruby used her Semblance to get in between the two, "Knock it off! Weiss! Jaune is waking up! If there is a reason for Pyrrha to want to attack Jaune then we will find out by asking him. And if Pyrrha is telling the truth and it was an accident then we'll be the ones in trouble if we start a fight! Remember the Professors are Watching!"

"Grrrrr"

"Weiss give me back my Javelin." Pyrrha was extending her hands towards Miló.

"What kind of fool do you take me for!"

"Grrrrrrrr," the growling was now coming from several directions.

Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose, 'Weiss calm down and look around!"

They were surrounded by Grimm.

* * *

Author's Notes: Ungh, this chapter was surprisingly difficult to write. The worst part is that I'm not even completely sure why. Nevertheless, pure stubbornness allowed me to pull through, Huzzah!

Well, until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes:** Remember words written in Italic are what the Character is thinking!

* * *

Ruby, Weiss, and Pyrrha were in a life or death struggle but, it was not their life that was on the line. It was Jaune's whose life and well being that was on the line, because while the Grimm were primarily attracted to negative emotions like Ruby's Uncertainty or Weiss's Paranoia. The Grimm were still predators and no predator will refuse an easy kill like a certain helpless blond. So a battle that should have been short and easy became a challenge for the girls who couldn't afford to stray far from the still awakening Jaune and for three fighters who prioritized mobility above all, it felt like they were fighting with only one arm. Fortunately, Ruby had an idea.

"Weiss!" Shouted Ruby who was in the middle of decapitating a Beowolf.

Weiss, who was busy freezing an Ursa in place, turned to Ruby, "I'm busy here so make it quick!"

"Make an ice wall around Jaune! Then we can go all out!"

Both Pyrrha and Weiss were caught pleasantly off guard by Ruby's suggestion and Weiss did not hesitate to put it into action. With both Pyrrha and Ruby keeping the Grimm off of Weiss who began carefully using her Ice Dust to construct a protective barrier around Jaune. It took her roughly a minute to make the wall and another minute to make the wall strong. Once she was done she turned to Ruby, "Well that should hold."

"Great, well. Let's finish them off!" Ruby shouted with a little glee.

* * *

"Qrow, you were the one who found the boy, correct?" Asked Leo.

"That's right."

Leo paused for a moment to find the words to properly phrase the question he was about to ask, "Qrow, did you ever notice anything… unusual about the boy during your time with him?"

"You mean if I noticed anything inhuman about the kid."

Leo nearly panicked as he tried to explain himself to Qrow, "N... NOoo, I didn't mean that. I was simply inquiring ab-"

Qrow interrupted, "Geez, enough with your sniveling already!"

"Qrow! For Oum's Sake behave yourself and act your age!" Glynda coldly scolded the alcoholic, having quite enough of Qrow's attitude.

"Listen up! There was nothing strange about the kid except two things." Qrow was holding up two fingers to emphasize the points he was about to make. "One that, the kid has an insane amount of Stamina. Seriously, he is going to make someone happy one day." Qrow then gave the people in the room a little wink.

Glynda once again snapped at him.

"Qrow Branwen, this is a serious topic! Handle with the dignity and seriousness it deserves!" She was beginning to lose her patience.

But, Qrow ignored her and kept going, "The second thing that stood out was the fact that the kid was a complete novice yet somehow managed to get Ozzy's seal of approval."

There was a complete and awkward silence in the room which after a brief period was broken by Ironwood "Ozpin, would you please explain."

* * *

The battle was over but rest was out of the question. After all, Ruby and Weiss were still the only ones between a potential would-be-murderer and her would-be-victim. So before Pyrrha could notice, Weiss once again leveled her weapon at the champion's heart. "Stay right where you are Pyrrha! Don't you dare move a single muscle or I swear I will skewer you on the spot!" Weiss wasn't sure if she could beat Pyrrha but, with Ruby's help, victory wasn't an impossibility. "Ruby go check on Jaune."

Ruby used her Semblance to dash over to the ice structure and used her Semblance and a second time to leap into the air so she could get a good look at Jaune and saw to her surprise that Jaune was beginning to wake up. So with the third use of her Semblance Ruby dashed over to Weiss' side and leaned in to whisper. "Weiss, you need to melt down the wall, he's beginning to wake up."

"Ruby keep your eye on Pyrrha. Do. NOT. Let her out of your sight" Weiss slowly and cautiously walked over to the ice wall keeping her eyes on Pyrrha the whole time. It was only when Ruby had taken a fighting stance towards the bizarre concern looking at Pyrrha did Weiss allow herself to fully concentrate on freeing Jaune. "Jaune can you hear me?" Weiss asked for Jaune's sake.

"Ungh… Yeah, Yeah I can hear you. Can you help me out of this place?" Jaune was still a little groggy but he was fully coherent.

"Listen, Jaune I am going to melt the ice now so please remain calm."

"Please go right ahead!"

With that, Weiss began her work on freeing Jaune.

"Ruby, look I… I didn't mean to." Pyrrha had no idea what to say or even if she should even say anything. I don't know how, but somehow I need to make this up to Jaune.

Ruby didn't know what to do, unlike Weiss she wasn't completely sold on the idea that Pyrrha had attacked Jaune with the intent to kill him. On top of that, she did know thanks to first-hand experience that Weiss was prone to overreaction and jumping to conclusions, But what if Weiss is right? Why did Pyrrha throw her Javelin at Jaune? I guess I'll have to ask her. "Hey, Pyrrha. Can you answer a question for me?"

"Yes, Ruby! Ask me anything."

"Why did you do it? Why did you throw your Javelin at Jaune?"

Pyrrha became quiet and a stark change in attitude came over the Champion. It was something that Ruby noticed almost immediately. Is Pyrrha… embarrassed?

"You see… um, Jaune was tumbling through the air uncontrollably so I figured I'd help him… by pinning him to a tree. With a Javelin."

Ruby was dumbstruck, "Are you serious?"

* * *

Weiss needed to hurry up, Pyrrha and Ruby were talking and though she couldn't make out what they were saying to each other, she had no doubts that Pyrrha was trying to poison the poor girl's mind. She couldn't wait any longer. She had to go back to Ruby's side right away!

"Jaune can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can."

"I need you to brace yourself."

"Why?"

"I'm going to shatter the ice so you need to use your shield to protect yourself."

"What!? No, Stop!"

Weiss didn't stop and with her expertise in Dust usage plus her skill with Myrtenaster Weiss was able to discern where exactly she needs to pierce the wall and how much Fire Dust she needs to use to have the Ice Structure collapse on itself. "Jaune I am going to count down to one and then collapse the wall."

"I thought you were going to shatter it."

"Look it doesn't matter now Prepare yourself: Three… Two… One."

The wall came down with a loud crash and Weiss immediately began checking to see if Jaune had made it through without problems. What she did not expect was to find Jaune already standing though leaning on some wall's remains for support and brushing the ice off of himself. That can't be right. He recovered from unconsciousness only a few minutes ago, he should still be on the floor. There is something incredibly off about this guy but, I guess it won't matter since he won't be passing and Pyrrha a bigger concern anyway.

Jaune had no idea what was going on, one moment he was flying through the air and then something hit him from behind, he remembers falling after that. I remember someone carrying me but I black out again before I could find out who or why. Speaking of why, why was I in that ice cage? And why is the rude girl from the locker room in front of me? "Um, are you my partner?" Please say no.

"What! No!" Weiss was stunned, Seriously that is your first thought? "Look you were hurt, Bad. But don't worry, me and my partner will take you to a Safe Zone."

Safe Zone, I remember Gris telling me about those. If a prospective student felt overwhelmed over some was injured and couldn't continue, they could go to one of the Safe Zones. But that means an instant fail and she wants to take me to one. "But then I'll Fail!" Jaune was Suddenly Shouting.

"You can always try again next year," Weiss said, faking sympathy. Nothing personal Jaune but, there is something wrong with you.

"But then I'll Fail!" Jaune shouted.

* * *

Ruby winced at what she had just heard, it wasn't fair it wasn't anything even remotely similar to fairness. It was a cruel twist of fate, to be offered the opportunity to take a major step to accomplish your dream only to fail because of someone else's mistake. But, Ruby held her ground. I'm sorry Jaune, but this is a dream you can keep chasing as long as you're alive and healthy.

Pyrrha was horrified. This was her fault, this was all her fault. She hurt Jaune and ruined his chance to get into Beacon, she nearly killed him. My selfishness nearly ruined him, no if he fails then I will have ruined him. I need to fix this. I have to make it up to him.

Weiss was getting frustrated, and the fact she was getting frustrated was also frustrating her. As the Schnee Heiress she should be able to handle someone like Jaune easily, she should have been able to simply state the facts and that should have been the end of it. But, this wasn't Atlas, this wasn't the Schnee Dust Company and Jaune didn't work for her. He didn't have to listen to her when she said No. And that was Frustrating. Doesn't this idiot realize that I'm trying to save his life?

Jaune was growing desperate, he needed to pass. But this pompous snowflake couldn't seem to understand that simple fact or she just didn't want to listen. I cannot go back home! Not while I'm like this! Sure Ozpin would let me stay in Beacon, but I would be staying as a patient instead of as a student. To come so close to achieving one of my life's biggest goals and to be denied. Are you kidding me!? And then Jaune saw her, the red-headed champion. He saw the Javelin in her hands and the guilt on her face and he realized who she was.

She was the one who had stabbed him, she was the one who was about to rob him of his dream, she was the one who had ruined everything. Something snapped within Jaune.

"Fix This."

Weiss, Ruby and especially Pyrrha were now looking at Jaune who was staring coldly at Pyrrha. There was an uncomfortable silence and then he spoke again. "Fix. This. Now."

Weiss realized that she needed to put a stop to this right away, "Now listen he-."

"Shut Up. Just shut the hell up." Jaune was now glaring daggers at Weiss, "I am not like you, I cannot afford to wait another year. So either you help me, or get out of my way."

Pyrrha began walking towards Jaune and Ruby did nothing to stop her, Weiss, on the other hand, tried to stop her but Pyrrha brushed the Heiress away and said, "I know you only mean well, Weiss and I don't blame you for anything. I honestly would have reached the same conclusions as you. But, this was a mistake I made. I need to fix this." With that Pyrrha walked over to Jaune and began to help.

Weiss was about to try and talk some sense into the pair but was stopped by Ruby, "It's no use Weiss. The best thing we can do now is to make sure that they make it through safely." There was nothing left that needed to be said and so they began their journey toward the shrine.

* * *

The meeting between Ozpin and his allies was over and so the headmaster and Glynda began walking towards the doors to go back to observing the initiation that was still well underway.

"Actually, Oz there is something else I need to say." The monitor that was projecting Qrow's face was now back on revealing a slightly sorry looking Qrow. "Before I begin I want to apologize for bringing up the kid's transcripts but I had a good reason."

Glynda was the first to turn around and address Qrow, "Well I hope you have a good reason Mr. Branwen, you derailed the entire meeting for whatever this reason of yours is."

"Now Glynda, Qrow has proven himself time and time again. If he says he had a good reason to do something then I believe him." Ozpin then motioned for Qrow to continue.

"I didn't want Jimmy to find out about this because he would have overreacted. The kid… his Aura doesn't work right." Qrow was dead serious.

"What does that mean?" Inquired Glynda.

Qrow began his explanation, "Living things have Aura and Grimm don't, everyone knows this. Jaune has Aura."

Ozpin was quick to interject. "That is one of the reasons why I disagreed with Gris when he labeled the boy a Pseudo Grimm. Mr. Arc has Aura and a lot of it, just because he shared some traits with the creatures didn't mean he is anything like them."

However, Qrow continued, "You didn't let me finish Oz. The Kid's Aura is there but it doesn't work right. Aura is supposed to stop attacks but the kid's Aura only softens it. Thankfully he can regenerate but that is not his Semblance and it burns through his Aura."

"What are you saying, Qrow?" Ozpin was listening intently.

"What I'm saying Oz, is that Gris' diagnosis of, Partial Grimmification while messed and incredibly fatalistic isn't completely wrong."

* * *

The Emerald Forest is a dangerous place, a death zone for anyone without the proper training to enter. Even with the proper training, the Forest must not be underestimated for within the deeper confines of the woods lie old, intelligent and powerful Grimm. Creatures that have survived and at times even thrive despite the occasional purges that Beacon conducts.

Right now one of those monsters has been stirred from its slumber, awoken by a rare combination of all of its favorite flavors. Paranoia, Uncertainty, Anger, Self Loathing and just a hint of Contempt simmering beneath all of it. It licked its fangs as fond memories of past hunts began running through its vile primal mind. The monster stood up having made up its mind and so it began to follow the scent and wondered to itself.

How many will I be able to Kill Today?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** The fun thing about the Butterfly Effect is how the changes can stack up. For example, right now there is going to be no Deathstalker and Nevermore Battle. Why? Simple, since they are all traveling together they won't be going into the cave since Weiss would Veto that and a Ride on the Nevermore isn't going to happen because Jaune is injured. I could leave it at that, but that is boring as hell.

So I am taking the liberty of bringing in a new beasty that I hope you'll all love.

Because Dammit! Horror is one of the tags on this Story and a Little Horror is what I'm Gonna Deliver!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:** I just wanted to give a quick thanks to PoterHawk96 for bringing to my attention a problem with my Page Divider and that problem was that they didn't exist. Turns out there is a bit of annoying quirk with this site and that it auto deletes symbols... like the ones I was using to divide my pages. But, I think I've figured it out this time!

Also, the Semester as started so chapters are going to be coming out slower. However, fear not! I finish what I start.

* * *

Lie Ren was anxious, not that anyone would know by looking at his face. He was subtle like that and he hated that, he hated the Semblance that made him that way. When the monsters are drawn to negative emotions the ability to mute those emotions was a life savior but, it also made it hard to make connections. On top of that, the Grimm aren't blind, if they see him then it was fight or flight and unfortunately for Ren he was spotted by the two-headed nightmare known as a King Taijitu. Lie Ren was anxious, not because he had to fight and win or die. He was anxious because he was separated from the only person who could read him like a book, he needed to find Nora.

But that would have to wait for now.

* * *

Nora Valkyrie was Anxious not that anyone would know by looking at her face. To anyone else, Nora looked like she was having the time of her life. After all, how many people can claim to have ridden an Ursa? As far as Nora was concerned the answer no one and that was cool. But, Nora didn't bend this monster to her will just for kicks and giggles, no Nora had a goal. A person that she needed to find, Lie Ren needed to be her partner or at the very least they needed to be on the same team. They lost their home together and together they found a new home, they struggled together and grew together. And dammit, they were going to be Huntsman Together!

"REN WHERE ARE YOU!?" Nora screamed with a force that could awaken a sleeping dragon. She then went dead silent waiting for Ren's answer. When silence was the only response she received she did not become disheartened, she simply continued her search.

* * *

Ren's battle against the King Taijitu was going bad and to be perfectly honest he was on the verge of defeat. Though it probably didn't look that way to anyone that could be watching. To most people, it would look like Ren was dominating the overgrown snake. It would chase him but Ren was always several steps ahead and was pumping bullets into the reptile and when he wasn't shooting it, he was slashing it with his Strom Flower blades.

But, nothing he did was truly hurting the Grimm. His weapon of Choice the Storm Flower Pistols were devastating weapons against the Grimm, as long as he could get to an unarmored part of whatever he was fighting. However, the Grimm known as King Taijitus were notorious for being completely covered in scaly armor. His bullets couldn't penetrate and his blades weren't cutting deep enough. Ren could keep his distance for now but he could not keep running forever.

Ren was fast and incredibly graceful, as his best friend Nora would say Ren was nearly a ninja and there wasn't a single person in the world who would argue with that statement. But, right now he wished that he could trade some of his speed for strength, pure simple and wonderfully straightforward strength. Maybe then he would be able to make some progress against the monster. However, even without the pure strength needed to pierce those scales, Ren was far from helpless. His skill in Aura manipulation is what allowed him to be accepted into Beacon and it was high enough that he could perform an Aura empowered strike. But that was a technique that puts a hefty strain on the Aura if it didn't kill in one hit he would be left in a worse position than he was in the beginning. Even if it did work he would be left in a Grimm infested forest with a noticeable chunk of his Aura gone. But Ren didn't have to consider such risk plans just yet, he was still far faster than the beast and could stall till a better option presented itself.

Or, so he thought.

The King Taijitu was an old Grimm and was one who has fought and survived battles against the Strong, the Fast and the Deceitful. Not only has it survived many battles such as this one but, it has even triumphed. It has killed and devoured would-be-heroes in the past and it would do the same now. All it needed was one hit, a mere glancing blow would be enough to wretch the weapons out the hands of this mouse. Granted this particular mouse was speedy and had impressive reflexes and even instinct, but it did not know the Emerald Forest as he did. Soon, the mouse would be cornered and then swallowed whole just like every mouse before it.

* * *

The sound of battle was heavy in the air and Nora was torn by it. On one hand, someone who may not be Ren was in trouble and Nora was in a position to help. But, if that person wasn't Ren and didn't already have a partner then the possibility of being separated from her other half would be… she didn't want to think about it. But, then again. I would be abandoning someone to the Grimm, someone could die because I wanted to be Ren's partner. As bad as not being with Ren could be, abandoning someone innocent to death for her selfish desires was not acceptable. She would help and if it wasn't Ren, then she would live with consequences.

So, with anxiety weighing heavily on her heart, Nora guided her mighty Steed towards battle and silently prayed that it was Ren.

* * *

Ren was in trouble. The King Taijitu somehow managed to corner him and to make matters worse he lost his weapons once again thanks to the beast. However there was a silver lining to everything, the monster instead of simply bashing or constricting Rend to death had instead tried to swallow him whole. Normally this would have been a near-instant kill, but Ren wasn't someone who was satisfied in simply being able to use his Aura for passive Defense and an active Offense. With Nora's help, he taught himself how to actively use his Aura for Active Defense as well, and now all that time practicing would pay off.

First Ren concentrated all of his Aura into his Palms which were currently holding back the mighty jaws of the King Taijitu. The next part would be difficult but Ren knew that the situation was do or die. He moved out of the way of the mouth while using a concentrated Aura powered palm strike to break off one the Grimm's fangs and immediately armed himself with it. Just like he hoped the King Taijitu became enraged and lunged at the Mistralin Youth. Ren predicted that move and stepped out of the monster's way and jammed the stolen fang into the creature's eye but he wasn't done yet. Concentrating as much Aura as he could into his hand he delivered another palm strike into the fang making it shoot through the eye of the monster and obliterating the King Taijitu's head.

Unfortunately for Ren, the King Taijitu has two heads.

Fortunately for Ren, the second head was buffeted by a barrage of grenades and a familiar and ever so comforting voice filled the air with a battle cry. Nora came down like a lightning bolt from the blue crashing into the second head and killing the Grimm with her war hammer Manghild. When the dust was settled the two looked at each with a little anxiety.

"So, Ren. Do you have a partner?"

"No, I don't. Do you have a partner Nora?"

"I do now!" and with that, their family was now whole once again. However the trail wasn't over yet and so the two continued their journey to the shrine, the anxiety replaced by warm certainty that everything was going to be alright.

They were being followed.

* * *

It's an odd thing to watch a rival die at someone else's hands. As a Grimm, it didn't feel anything as it watched the green-clad one and the pink one kill the King Taijitu. Well, that wasn't entirely true. It felt the need to expand its territory, it felt the need to remain vigilant and felt the urge to kill the Green One while it was weak.

But the Pink One was strong and was now traveling with the Green One. If either were alone it would gladly take a chance but, together the two would kill him. But, there were many Grimm in this forest and many of them would be foolish enough to throw themselves at the pair in an attempt to snuff out their light. So it would wait for an ally or rather a distraction a moment for when their guard was down and their back was exposed. Then and only then it would strike.

It had patience. It was strong. It was cunning. It wanted to kill them both. And it was going to wait for the perfect moment.

* * *

Yang Xiao Long was having the time of her life. Though for most people fighting through a forest of Soulless Men Eating Monsters while separated from your little sister who is also in the forest and is also most likely fighting against the same Soulless Men Eating Monsters, wouldn't be considered a good time. But Ruby was a tough girl and being separated from her big sister would force Ruby out of her shell, so it was all good as far as Yang was concerned. As for the Grimm, well Beowolfs were no match for her, neither was Ursas or Nevermores. Though she has heard from some Beacon's current students that there were incredibly dangerous Grimm in the Emerald Forest such as a King Taitiju and Deathstalkers, so far neither of the two have appeared and honestly, Yang was okay with that. She was an adrenaline junkie not a suicidal idiot and quite frankly these small fries were the perfect way to welcome the next phase of her life.

However, there was one slight… downer named Blake Belladonna. Now Yang wasn't an unfair person, as the closest thing to a mother figure in Ruby's life she had a responsibility to be an example of a proper huntress. However, that doesn't stop anyone from thinking less than flattering thought about the people around them and Blake was… Boring. Now Yang knew that what should be thinking was more along the lines of "This girl is Serious," or "She's a little private," or at worst "She's a bit Anti-Social," and all of those were true at the same time, which was the problem. In the hour that Yang has known Blake, she hasn't managed to get Blake to lighten up or even open up once.

However, Yang wasn't at all worried. She knew that there was absolutely no way that she was going to fail the exam which meant that she had four years to crack this girl's shell. Even though Yang didn't look or act like it, she could be very very patient and when her new partner wanted to talk Yang would be there to lend a listening ear.

Blake Belladonna was feeling conflicted. On one hand, she was safe, even though the Emerald Forest wasn't what anyone would ever call safe. She felt safer here than she did during her last few days as a member of the White Fang. The Grimm did not scare her but Adam Taurus, her old partner, scared her. But It wasn't the threat of death or mutilation that made her leave, it was his hate. That infectious loathing that spread to everyone in that once Noble Organization. That hate which threatened to consume her as well had she stayed. But she didn't stay, she left Adam and the White Fang and ran to Beacon. Here she would be safe, here could start undoing the damage that she had help cause.

However, on the other hand Weiss Schnee was a fellow student and there was a very real and incredibly terrifying thought that she might end up on the same team as Weiss.

Now it must be stated that Blake was not afraid of Weiss but, she was by no means an optimist about that situation. She knew that the truth about her Faunus heritage would come out eventually and she accepted that but Weiss could change all of that. If she and Weiss were on the same team and truth came out, Weiss would not be happy. And Blake knew all too well what the Schnee Family was capable of and just how pathetically petty they could be.

"Hello! Remnant to Blake! Please respond!"

Blake turned to her partner Yang feeling somewhat annoyed by the blond brawler's constant pestering. "What is it, Yang?"

"Finally I get something out of you! Look I can't help but notice that you seem to know where you are going so I wanted to know if you figured out where the Relics were."

Blake turned away from her partner and kept moving forward, "I think that the Relics are in ruins."

Yang considered Blake's answer for a bit before responding "The Ruins, huh? Well, I admit that if I had to hide a treasure I would be sorely tempted to hide it there. But-"

"You thought it was too obvious?" Blake completed the thought.

"Yeah. I thought that there was no way it could be so easy. I considered going the opposite direction, going right back to the cliffs."

Blake was surprised and just a little interested, Why would she come to a conclusion like that? She was going to ask but, it seemed like Yang was able to read her body language and already began to answer.

"I have a little sister and let me tell you it can be hard hiding things from her but, nobody ever expects you to hide something under their bed. So I figured that this was a test to see who could figure out the trick first."

Yang said this with such confidence that even Blake was nearly convinced but she still was able to find the hole. "But, that would just mean that the first people to give up would be the ones to pass." Blake pointed out.

Yang shrugged "Yeah, I realized that too. That's why I didn't go through with it. But, since this test needs to be passable… oh shit. You're right!" Yang was now excited and began running in the direction of the Ruins. "Quick Blake Follow me!"

Blake began chasing after her partner. "What's going on? Yang, what was I right about?"

Yang kept running but she answered back, "The Ruins! The Relics are at the Ruins! Just like you thought they would be!"

"It was only a guess! So why are you suddenly so sure?" Blake shouted back rather bewildered.

"Huntsmen don't always have access to transportation, many times they have to travel by foot through the wilderness. This trial isn't testing our fighting ability! It's testing out the ability to find our way through the wildlands. To reach a goal and to do it in time! Because when a Huntsman is late!"

"People will die," Blake answered with a little bit of a smile on her face. Maybe coming to Beacon was the right choice.

* * *

Pyrrha no longer needed to support Jaune's weight. He had reached the point where he was able to travel alongside all of them without slowing them down. This worried Weiss who instead of walking alongside Jaune and Pyrrha chose instead to follow them, to walk behind them, behind Jaune. It wasn't just her, Ruby was walking alongside Weiss and while the young girl did not carry the same level of concern that Weiss had, it wasn't nonexistent either.

Despite their differing opinions on Jaune both Ruby and Weiss would agree that Jaune shouldn't be able to walk. Even with High-Speed Regeneration fixing any damage to his muscle, bone, and tendons Jaune shouldn't be able to walk. Regeneration could heal the body but it couldn't refresh it, his stamina should be at an all-time low and yet he was walking just fine. Soon they would be at the Ruins, soon they would be official students at Beacon, assuming that there were any Relics left. But honestly, they weren't worried about that just yet. Both Weiss and Ruby were far more worried about Jaune, though for Ruby it was worry born mostly out of fear for his safety. As for Weiss, it was more of a fear of the unknown and right now everything about Jaune was a big unknown and even Pyrrha was a big unknown. Pyrrha claims that it was an accident, honestly what kind of fool does she take me for? But, then again... what possible reason would Pyrrha have for wanting Jaune dead? I just hope I don't end up on a team with them.

* * *

Jaune leaned his head towards Pyrrha though he wasn't looking at her. "Hey, Pyrrha…" he was speaking softly with his eyes facing down toward the floor, he had been thinking about earlier and how he reacted and even treated Pyrrha. He wasn't happy with how he spoke to her, how he handled the situation.

"Yes, Jaune?" Pyrrha was curious about the way he was talking but his body language made her worry just a little.

"I am sorry… for how I acted back there."

"Jaune, I should be the one apologizing, I… I nearly killed your dream." Pyrrha felt nothing but remorse.

"I'm not going to act like you didn't wrong me… but you also helped me, you would have helped me even if I hadn't… demanded."

"Look Jaune, I am glad that you don't hold what I did against me. But, you shouldn't apologize for getting angry. You were right to do so, you were right to demand my help. Sure, hitting you with my javelin was an accident, but that doesn't resolve me of any responsibility." Pyrrha was feeling oddly better like a massive weight was being lifted off of her shoulders.

"Well, if nothing else… Pyrrha, I'm glad that you're my partner." Jaune was sincere.

"Thank you, Jaune… that means a lot to me." A warm feeling washed over Pyrrha and she liked it.

However, that was a feeling that was not shared by Jaune. He felt worried, scared and confused. Back there, the way I acted… that felt so weird. For a moment I wasn't myself like I was something else. Pyrrha said I was angry, but I didn't feel angry… I didn't feel anything at all. No, that's not true, I felt not empty… I felt more like a Void. Something snapped, back there… I need to talk to Gris.

* * *

The Grimm are just mindless beasts, this is both true and misleading. Most Grimm are indeed devoid of any real intelligence or any desire apart from destruction. However, there are exceptions to every rule and Elder Grimm are without a doubt exceptional in this regard, though scientists are still baffled by how a creature devoid of intelligence can grow intelligence through sheer aging. However, some Grimm are born with intelligence and though age only grows smarter and more cunning and thus more dangerous.

Another common misconception is that Grimm hunt in packs, this is, however, has been proven wrong over and over again. Even Beowolves are not really hunting as a group, it is just that a group of Beowolves are chasing the same prey. Though given how terrifying such monsters are, the idea of a true Pack of Grimm working together to take down a target has been rightfully described as nightmare fuel.

Anyone who may have witnessed the Small Horde heading to the Ruins might have thought of it strange and dangerous. But, that small horde was growing bigger and bigger as it made its way towards the unwary prey. At the back of this mob were two Grimm, they were the ones who started this march, they were the ones who were leading this hunt. Grimm are not normally intelligent but they were the exceptions and even though they couldn't mold the horde into a proper pack they didn't need to. They were assassins, not generals. They didn't need or want an army.

They just needed a distraction.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Well I figured that it was high time we took a look and see what everyone else was up to. Hopefully, that was the right call. Either way, there is going to be a fight in the next chapter and it's going to be big. I might have to make the fight a two-parter. The crazy thing is we are still only at the beginning of Vol 1.

Man do I have my work cut out for me...


	6. Chapter 6

The Ruins were breathtaking, there was absolutely no other way to describe them. The marble pillars, the stairs carved into the side of a mountain leading to jaw-dropping sights and various buildings and platforms that were impressively still standing despite the ravages of time. Whatever civilization that existed here had to have been truly grand. But it all asked a question:

"What happened here?"

Was it the Grimm? Was it a natural disaster? Or was it a war of some kind? Weiss wondered to herself as she along with Ruby followed Jaune and Pyrrha toward where they hoped the Shrine would be with the Relics still there. In a rather bizarre way, Weiss's encounter with Jaune and Pyrrha was a good thing. It forced both Weiss and Ruby to slow down a little, to keep them focused on their surroundings and thus allowed them to drink in the majesty of the ruins. Did the headmaster plan this? Did he purposely place the Relics in the Ruins to force him to see this? To remind us of what we are fighting for and what might happen if we were to fail? If so, then coming to Beacon was the right decision.

Ruby was also impressed by the sights before her, though her thoughts were somewhat different. Ozpin is using these ruins to test potential students that must piss off the archaeology community. Or perhaps these ruins are fake? But how would they build fake ruins in a Grimm infested forest?

As for Jaune and Pyrrha they did not notice the beauty around them, that's not to say that they were unaware of what was around them it was quite the opposite as they were constantly surveying the land around them, the problem was that they were completely focused on the final goal. Any and every time they scanned their surroundings it was to look for a clue, a trail, a path, anything that might lead them to the shrine.

* * *

"Ren Look at this place! It's huge! I bet it was like the best castle Ever! Not to disrespect other types of castles, of course, I mean grant modern castles are just oversized mansions and shouldn't be considered castles, you know what I mean Ren?" Nora turned expectantly towards her partner Ren who seems to be in deep thought.

"Nora, Ancient castle would have poor plumbing." Ren wisely pointed out.

Nora was shocked speechless, Dear Oum how could I have forgotten something so essential!?

Ren without waiting for Nora to regain her senses continued his ruthless and logical assault. "Besides, the sooner we pass initiation, the sooner we can make Beacon our castle."

Nora was suddenly standing very very close to Ren and was staring at his face, "Ren." Nora was speaking very quietly, "I Love How You Think!" Nora suddenly shouted! "Quickly my Brave Knight! Forward to Victory!

The two continued their search of the ruins.

* * *

They found it, Yang and Blake were now students of the most Prestigious Huntsman Academy in all of Remnant. All they had to do was pick one, looking at the Relics Blake briefly wondered why a chess set was chosen to play the role of the Relics. Did they have some sort of cultural or historical significance to the school? To Vale? Or was she simply overthinking things again?

"Blake hurry up and pick one." Yang was most certainly being impatient but could anyone blame the girl?

Blake wanted to turn around and tell Yang that this was an important decision, that there was some sort of special significance to the piece they chose. But, in all honesty, it's probably nothing like that. The Headmaster could just be a man who likes playing chess. So with that in mind, she reached out to take the Gold Rook Piece.

*Snap*

Yang suddenly rocketed forward with the assistance of her weapon Ember Celica and kicked Blake away from the table just before a Beowolf could pounce on her from above. The Beowolf was furious that Yang pushed his prey away and roared at the girl, however, Yang just shoved her gauntlet into his open mouth and shot some buckshot down its throat killing the monster instantly.

*Grrrrrr*

There were more coming, Grimm of all kinds was marching up the stairs to try and kill the two girls. Blake got up from the ground and ran over to Yang and the two stood back to back. They were going to try and weather the shadowy tide that was beginning to rise from the stairs.

* * *

"REN STAY BEHIND ME!" Nora was scared, not for herself of course. But Ren on the other hand still needed time to recover his Aura. If only I hadn't hesitated. A real Huntress would have come running to help the moment they heard that someone was in trouble. But, I didn't and Ren was forced to use the Palm Strike.

"Nora, I'll be fine. Just focus on stopping them here." Ren was already behind Nora and raining down hot lead with his Storm Flowers. However once again the bone plate armor of the Grimm proved to be the bane of his existence as only a couple of the younger smaller Grimm were killed by the bullets.

Magnhild, however, wasn't a weapon designed to fight humanoids like Strom Flower was. The Grenade Launcher/Warhammer was meant to kill Grimm and right now the Grimm charging towards them made for a juicy target.

Most people would have used the Grenade Launcher at this moment. But, Nora had something better in mind as she scanned the Grimm looking for one that was big enough to make her plan work. She spotted a rather large Ursa that was at the front of the mob and charged right at it with an evil glint in her eye. The Ursa spotted Nora coming at him but before he could use his claws to strike the Pink Terror away when another hail of bullets began impacting against his body causing him to instinctually shield himself with his arms. That was a horrible mistake.

Magnhild impacted against the arms of the Ursa with enough force to knock the monster backward right back into the horde who were unprepared to catch their kin. The beasts tried to crawl over and few of them even attempted to crawl under the Ursa. If any of beasts had any intelligence beyond how to kill they would have realized just how screwed they were.

Nora pressed a button on Magnhild and the War hammer became a Grenade Launcher once again and with a satisfied smirk on her face Nora fired one grenade which was enough to send quite a few Grimm out of this mortal plane. Nora then reloaded Magnhild with the last six grenades she had left.

Nora then turned around to look back at her partner when she saw it, a shadow quickly running towards Ren. A Grimm that flanked past Nora while she was fighting and was now going to dive the backline. Ren. It's going after Ren! "Red Shadow!" Nora screamed at the top of her lungs.

Ren upon hearing one of many codewords that he and Nora invested over the years as homeless orphans did not hesitate and did not question, he just ducked. And as he did a Mace flew right past where his head was only a second ago. He then swept the legs of his attacker knocking whoever it was off of their feet, Ren then attempted to get up but was kicked away by his attacker. However, Ren simply used the force of the kick to roll away placing himself closer to Nora and further away from the Bastard. Once they were back together Nora and Ren got their first good look at their attacker.

Ren's would be Assassin was Covered in Black Fur with the occasional White Bony protrusion the Creature stood on two feet in a manner extremely similar to people, it was just as tall as Ren perhaps just a little taller. Its body was lean and athletic, built for speed and flexibility rather than brute strength. There was a long prehensile tail dangling between its legs and on its face was the mask-like mass of bone that marked all Grimm. However, none of that mattered when compared to the most noticeable thing about this particular Grimm, in its hands, it carried a weapon. It was a long metal polearm with a spiked club at the end, the weapon was rusted, it was bent at an odd angle but there was no denial of what it was.

It was the weapon of a Huntsman.

* * *

Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, and Jaune were running. They had to run, they didn't have any choice in the matter. They couldn't afford to be surrounded, not with Jaune's Aura reserves being so low. If it hadn't been for that one unfortunate fact they would have stood their ground, they would have fought and they would have won. But, making their stand here would be asking for a tragedy to unfold.

Ruby, remembering one of the many lessons that her father and uncle had taught her began to scan her surroundings looking for anything that they could use. We are at the base of a small mountain that has the ruins of what appears to be a temple built of the top. Several stairs are leading to the top and some broken walls.

Ruby turned to Weiss and was running right next to her. "How much Ice Dust do you have left? And how long would it take to make a barrier?

Weiss took a moment to check the gauges on Myrtenaster and realized that she was dangerously low on Ice Dust. "I don't have much left, but I do have something else." She then reached into one of her coat's inner pockets and reached for the pocket containing Earth Dust. She took the only vial she had and used it to replace the nearly depleted Ice Dust. "I have a full vial of Earth Dust that I can use to make a barrier. It won't be pretty but I can make a barrier in about five seconds."

"Pyrrha! Jaune!" Ruby called to the pair who was now trailing behind her and Weiss.

"What is it?" Pyrrha shouted.

"Head to the staircase. Once you and Jaune are on it Weiss will make a wall. It won't stop them from reaching you but, it will prevent them from surrounding us. Weiss! I'm going to buy a little bit of time. Go with them and make the wall!"

With that, Ruby turned around and faced the oncoming Grimm and began to fire. Within seconds the horde was about to crush the goth but then Ruby used her Semblance to move away and a little to the side. Once she was a fair distance from the horde she opened fire on the Grimm taking their attention away from Weiss, Jaune, and Pyrrha who were almost at the stairs.

Just a little more and then I'll be able to let these guys have it. Thought Ruby as she though the corner of her eye saw that Jaune and Pyrrha had reached the stairs and that Weiss was about to bring up the wall.

"But what about you?" Jaune asked Weiss who was busy raising a wall of stone.

"I'll be fine. Ruby and I can handle these beasts. The only person that you need to worry about is yourself." Replied Weiss.

Pyrrha ran to Jaune's side and grabbed his shoulder, "Jaune we need to get into a defensive position before the Grimm circle around the wall." Understanding that Pyrrha and Weiss were right Jaune turned away from the wall and then followed Pyrrha up the stairs. When they had gone a little way up Pyrrha turned around to face Jaune. "Do you have any ranged weapons?"

"No, I don't," answered Jaune.

"Well, then we better get started." With that, Pyrrha stopped climbing the stairs and her javelin Miló transformed into its rifle form. Pyrrha then examined the battlefield below her and noted how well Ruby and Weiss were handling themselves against the Grimm. However, some of the Grimm had made it past Ruby and Weiss and were already making their way past the barrier.

Jaune stood next to Pyrrha on the stairs with Crocea Mors in his hands and together they stared down at the group of Grimm that was climbing up the stairs towards them. Pyrrha began shooting, aiming for the legs of the Grimm thus causing a few of the monsters to stumble. However, amongst the Grimm climbing the stairs there was one Beowolf that succeeded in climbing over the rest of its kind and leap toward Pyrrha. Only to find Jaune's shield bashing into its face knocking it down on the ground. The Beowolf immediately attempted to get up but Jaune took Crocea Mors and stabbed the monster through the chest killing it instantly.

* * *

On the other side of the barrier, Ruby and Weiss were separated but fine. The individual combat styles of the two both required wide-open space for maximum effect. This made working together in unison to be difficult since they had no practice with each other. So, the answer to the conundrum was to separate and each take on half of the beasts on their own.

This created quite the spectacle as on one side of the field was a crimson reaper cutting down swaths of Grimm with every swing of her scythe and disappearing with her Semblance into a blur of speed and rose petals only to appear a safe distance away from where she would once again begin her harvest.

On the other side of the field, the White Princess took on the visage of a witch and was using her Dust and Sigils to make short work of the Grimm before her. Furthermore, it wasn't just her dust usage but also her Swordsmanship that was on full display as any Grimm that survived her Dust powered barrages were taken out through a masterful stab.

It wasn't long before the once-threatening horde was severely diminished, however, everyone was far far from safe.

"Heeelp."

Weiss spun around to try and find the source of the voice. "Ruby? Is that you?"

"Heeelp."

There's no doubting it, that's Ruby's voice!

"Heeelp, please."

She sounds close, but we should be further apart than this. Suddenly it hit Weiss, What if Ruby finished up on her side was coming to check on me but something happened.

"Please Heeelp." Ruby's voice was coming from behind the cover of some ancient crumbled wall.

Weiss quickly scanned the battlefield looking for any hidden Grimm that might try and ambush her as she helped her partner, seeing none Weiss made her way to where she heard Ruby's voice.

"Ruby! Just hold on! I'm coming!" Using her Sigils to boost her speed Weiss was able to reach the wall in record time to help her partner.

"Heeelp." It was coming from behind the wall, clearly Ruby had hidden thereafter whatever occurred to hurt her in the first place!

Once she reached the wall Weiss turned to where Ruby would be and her world exploded into had tackled Weiss, knocked her off of her feet and into the floor and was pinning her there. Something was biting into her shoulder a Grimm was using its fangs to try and break through what little remained of Weiss' Aura and destroy her. And so far it was doing a good job, soon Weiss' Aura would be gone and to make matters worse she didn't have the strength to push it off of her nor could she get a good angle to stab the Beast. It was Checkmate.

*BANG* *BANG*

The beast's jaws let go of Weiss as the Bullets slammed into its back, it looked up the nearby stairs with a hateful glare at Pyrrha who had her rifle trained at the monster. Weiss recognizing her chance attempted to stab the neck of the monster. However, the would-be devourer saw her getting ready for the stab and so with great agility it leaps away from Weiss.

Weiss is then finally able to get a good look at her attacker. It looked like a cat, a large black lightly armored cat. It was about the same size as a Beowulf on all fours though judging from its body it couldn't walk on two legs as a Beowolf could. The most distinctive feature of the vile creature was a set of horns growing side by side and all around on the beast's neck giving the impression of a mane. Its hate-filled eyes gleamed as it stared at Weiss and the rapidly approaching Pyrrha, it almost seemed like it was weighing its options and then it did something completely alien to the Grimm. It ran away.

"Weiss! Are you okay?" Pyrrha was right next to her and before Weiss could answer Pyrrha was already checking the spot on Weiss' shoulder where the monster had bitten her. "Oh thank Oum, it looks like you had enough Arua to block the attack.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't try blocking a second. I'm almost out of both Aura and Dust." Weiss said as Pyrrha helped her up. "Pyrrha where's Jaune and Ruby?"

"When Jaune saw that you were being attacked he told me to go help you while he made sure that Ruby was safe. I don't know what species of Grimm that thing was but, if there are more of those things Ruby might just need the help."

Weiss then grabbed Pyrrha by the arm, "Pyrrha we need to find them Now!"

"Weiss wha-,"

"Listen to me Pyrrha! That Grimm could speak! It was able to ambush me because it imitated Ruby's voice and lured me away. Do you get it? That thing has been following us for a while now and can probably copy all of our voices!"

* * *

Ruby!"

The little Reaper spun around to find the source voice and was thrilled to see her older sister Yang and the weird quiet chick from yesterday. Is that my sister's partner? Walking down the hill towards her. At least until Yang started running towards Ruby art full speed intending to give her beloved little sister a nice big hug.

Ruby realized what Yang was going to do and just stretched open her arms to accept the hug. Normally Ruby would try and get away from Yang's bear Hugs but today has been a rather trying day for her and a good old fashion hugging was just what she needed. And she was right, she could just feel the stress melting as Yang's arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer to her big sister.

However Ruby remembered the dangerous Grimm that was on the mountain and her partner and friends that were still fighting. Crap I need to warn Yang about the Grimm! Ruby struggled just little to better speak. "Yang we need to move!"

Blake stepped in, "If you are worried about the Grimm, Yang and I already took care of the ones next to the Shrine."

Ruby wasn't sure she heard that right, "The Shrine, you found It?"

Yang let go of Ruby to point up the Mountain, "Yeah it's just up there. You'll know it when you find a chess set."

"That's Great! Quick we gotta find my partner Weiss and Pyrrha and Jaune!" Ruby was ecstatic.

* * *

Meanwhile on the other side of the Mountain Jaune was searching through ruins looking for Ruby. "Ruby! Where are you! Ruby!" Jaune tried calling.

"Jauuuuune." it was Ruby's voice coming from behind some rubble.

"Ruby? Are you alright?"

"Jauuuuune, help."

"I'm coming Ruby, just hold on!" Jaune began running toward the voice, running toward the jaws.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Honestly, I never meant for this chapter to be one big fight especially since fight scenes are one of the many things I don't have a lot of experience writing. So if this chapter was hard to get through... thanks for putting up with me! As for Red Shadow, I just think that Renn and Nora would have some sort of coded word system since they had to survive together for who knows how long.

As for the Grimm, the Monkey is called a Vanara, it was based on two different sources with the first being Hindu mythology where they are helpful guys. The second source was the Humandrills from One Piece. For those who may not know, Humandrills are a race of baboons who take the Saying "Monkey See, Monkey Do" very literally and they saw War.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Notes:** Well… it seems like I forgot to talk about the lion Grimm last chapter. But no worries, I'll talk about both in greater depth in the Author Notes at the end. Also If anyone wants to use any of the ideas or OC's that may appear in this fic, Go right ahead. You don't have to ask me for any permission whatsoever.

* * *

"Weiss! Pyrrha! Over Here!" Ruby began excitingly running towards the pair with Yang and Blake following close behind her. Weiss and Pyrrha were also relieved to see that Ruby was not only safe but had also brought reinforcements. So without any shred of fear of hesitation they also began moving towards Ruby and as a result the two groups soon merged into one.

"So you're my little sister's partner? The name is Yang Xiao Long and it's a pleasure to meet you." Yang offered her hand to Weiss who took and gave Yang's hand a polite shake.

"Weiss Schnee, I'm sorry but we need to cut this meeting short. We need to find-"

Blake cut the heiress off, "If you are worried about the Relics, then don't worry. Yang and I already found them."

"Hey Pyrrha, where's Jaune?" Ruby was looking around for him.

"Who's Jaune?" Yang asked with a playful smirk.

Pyrrha decided that the conversation was veering off course so she decided it was time to step in. "Ruby, Jaune went looking for you to make sure you were safe."

Ruby was confused, "But why?"

"Ruby, I was ambushed by a Grimm that could not only talk but it was mimicking your voice." Weiss was serious, so much so that no one questioned for even a second whether she had just made up something as absurd as a talking Grimm.

"Did it look like a cat?" Ruby asked.

"Ruby, do you know what it is?" Pyrrha asked.

"My sister Yang and I are from a family of Valen Huntsmen. In fact, my father and uncle were once teachers at Signal. They warned us about the different kinds of Grimm that could be found in Vale."

"You were attacked by a Nemean. It's fast but not too strong, it's an ambush-style killer that can mimic voices in order to ambush their prey." Yang finished for her little sister.

"But you were able to kill it, right?" Blake asked.

* * *

"Ruby where are you?" Jaune frantically searched for the source of the voice he heard earlier.

To say he was worried would be an understatement, Jaune was terrified. Ruby was his friend, the very first friend he has made since some bastard went and turned him into some kind of hybrid freak and he would be damned before he let some overgrown cat hurt her.

"Jauuuune Heeelp."

The voice was coming from just behind a wall and Jaune did not hesitate to look behind it.

It was the Grimm, it was the monster that attacked Weiss. It didn't actually run from Pyrrha, it simply ran ahead and set another trap. Back there on the steps Jaune and Pyrrha saw that Weiss was walking into a trap but they had no idea why. Now Jaune knew the beast somehow had the ability to mimic speech and it had used that ability to lure him into a trap just like Weiss. But this time things were different, Jaune had no Aura or Backup the monster had him dead to rights. However, it did not attack; instead, it began circling him watching him and examining every single movement that Jaune made with a morbid sense of curiosity.

It's just like the Beowolf who found me in the forest two months ago. Unsure of what I am, but just like back then it's going to make up its mind and attack me real soon. Jaune began to brace himself for the attack that he knew was going to come and he didn't have to wait long. The monster made up its mind and leaped at Jaune with a blood-curdling snarl fully intent on pinning him and ripping out his throat however this is just what Jaune thought would happen and thus he was ready for the beast and sidestepped the monster and even attempted to strike back. But the monster had an amazing reaction speed so when Jaune came in for a counterattack the Neamen responded by shifting its body and tilting its neck so that the sword impacted against the mane of horns.

The noble blade struck the horns of the Grimm and sunk in but failed to go all the way through the bony material. In response the beast spun around to face Jaune who was still gripping his blade, this was a mistake on his part as the momentum left him wide open and the creature took full advantage of it. Claws pierced through Jaune's armor and sunk deep into his flesh before dragging across it and then the beast attempted and succeeded at repeating its actions against Jaune's leg.

With the adrenaline coursing through him, Jaune was able to Wretch his sword free and bring the pommel of the sword down on the jaws of the Nemean as it attempted a bite that would have most certainly killed him had it connected. Furthermore, he took his shield and smashed it against the face of the Grimm again and again and again until the beast was flung away from Jaune. Bracing himself for another attack Jaune was shocked when the beast turned around and fled.

Why did it run? It had me right there. Jaune waited to see if it was a trick after all the creatures had already set two traps. So he ignored his bleeding wounds and waited for an ambush that never came. It took a little time but eventually, Jaune did lower his guard to examine his wounds. He carefully removed his cuirass and let the armor drop to the floor, after everything he had been through today the armor was rendered all but ruined and now it was just dead weight. Once it was off Jaune began to examine the still throbbing cuts and the discolored blood that was slowly oozing out. Then he came to a realization. It's waiting for me to bleed out. But if that's the case then I should be okay for now. But if it decides that I'm taking too long… I need to move, I need to find the others.

* * *

Ren and Nora learned many things during their time wandering the lands of Mistral as orphaned vagabonds. Right now they were putting one of the most valuable of those lessons to work: Hesitation at the Wrong Moment Leads to Death. And so they threw themselves at the Polearm wielding Grimm, they attacked it with such ferocity that the beast tried to retreat. However, Ren was too fast and quickly caught up to the monster who attempted to knock Ren away with a wild untrained swing with its stolen weapon. This, however, was actually what Ren wanted, he in a grand display of acrobatics leaped over the weapon and delivered a swift and powerful kick into the face of the Grimm knocking it back toward Nora who was ready to smash the monster into a paste.

"Batter Up!" Nora pulled back for the swing of a lifetime and then she was blindsided by a Beowolf.

"Nora!" Ren dashed right past the Polearm wielding Grimm to tear into the backside of the beast who had laid its filthy claws on Nora. And tear into the Beowolf he did, completely eviscerating the creature before it had a chance to offer up even the most pitiful of defense.

Ren then ran to Nora's side and was thrilled to see that she was not only fine but had already picked herself up from the ground. "Get Down!" Nora cried and Ren obeyed without question as Nora let lose several grenades killing the rest of the Beowolf pack that was climbing up the stairs.

"Ren let's kill that monkey, find those Relics and get the hell out of this Damn Forest." The pair turned around to only find that the creature had already escaped.

* * *

Jaune wasn't looking for Ruby anymore, now it was far more important for him to take care of himself first. In hindsight, what he should have done was stay with Pyrrha and together all three of them could go find Ruby. Instead, he had to be the hero and run off on his own. Getting ambushed wasn't unlucky, it was predictable. It was what he honestly deserved for running off like that and he would have died if it wasn't for his condition.

*Crunch*

Jaune was struck by a vicious blow from behind and he went down, he wasn't just down he was done. He was done with the trial. He was done with being everyone's pincushion, he was done being looked at like he was a monster by some wannabe princess, he was done with being treated like a burden and most importantly he was done with whomever just struck him.

Jaune got right back up and found his attacker. Despite the fact, he could see the one who struck him, Jaune couldn't make out what his attacker looked like. The light was in his eyes as well as some blood so all he could see was the silhouette of the person but he didn't need to see the person's face to see that the bastard was raising their arms to strike again but Jaune didn't give them the chance. He quickly found his footing and rushed his foe striking back with a shoulder tackle that knocked them both onto the floor. Jaune then sat on his enemy and began punching and punching and punching until his attacker kicked him off.

Jaune then reached for his sword only to find that he had dropped it after he was struck from behind, however, he did find a rock. With the improvised weapon in hand, he came at his attacker who had also dropped their weapon during the scuffle. Jaune's attacker saw him coming and began desperately searching for their lost weapon, Jaune never gave them a chance and charged in with a battle cry.

* * *

"I found him! I found Jaune!" Pyrrha didn't waste any time waiting for Ruby and the others to catch up and instead ran to her partner.

"Pyrrha! Wait! We have to stick together." Weiss' futility called after Pyrrha who was nearly at her partner's side.

The sight that greeted Pyrrha was not a pretty one. Jaune was exhausted and hurt, it was clear that he had been attacked while looking for Ruby. Damn this mountain, Pyrrha thought to herself, Because of it everyone got lost and confused. Pyrrha then noticed the claw marks on Jaune's chest and leg and realized what must have happened. Poor Jaune never realized that the Nemean was following him or how close Ruby was the whole time.

Jaune looked at his partner and tried to stand up, only to collapse and come pitifully close to passing. Pyrrha was able to catch him, it was then that she got a much closer and clearer look at his wounds and noticed something strange, His blood, the color isn't right. The way it's oozing out, this isn't right. Jaune was desperate to pass, desperate to become a huntsman, he acted like this was his only chance… is he sick?

"Hey P-Money what's the hurry… is he alright?" Yang who had finally caught up to Pyrrha began to survey the area and noticed that Jaune was tightly gripping a rock. "Hey dude, calm down. You're safe now."

"Jaune it's alright, whatever you were fighting it's gone now," Pyrrha whispered.

He let the rock drop from his hand and Pyrrha began bandaging Jaune up by tearing up her sash and using those pieces of fabric as makeshift bandages. While that was going on Ruby and Weiss arrived at the scene and it did not take either one very long to figure out what had happened.

Yang and Blake stood guard while Ruby and Weiss searched for Jaune's weapon. Weiss quickly found Jaune sword and not too far away from it was another weapon that Weiss did not recognize. It was a polearm and it was rusted, bent and had fresh blood on it. Blood that looked just like Jaune's bizarre blood. Someone attacked him! Or did Jaune attack someone and they dropped their weapon? Was it a bandit? It couldn't have been some who had been Huntsman trained, no Huntsman would ever let their weapon reach this state of disrepair. Weiss decided that the best thing to do was just ask Jaune himself.

By the time Weiss made it back to Jaune, he was already bandaged up and able to sit upright on his own. And yet another display of his insane recovery time. Ruby was by his side handing him back his shield and so Weiss walked up to him and returned his sword.

"Thank you, Ruby. Thank you, Weiss." Jaune was tired but the sincerity was still present in his voice.

"Jaune." Weiss decided that now wasn't the time subtly, "While looking for your sword I found another weapon, it had fresh blood on it. It looked like your blood."

Everyone was now listing in with great interest at how Jaune was going to answer. It took him a second to gather his thoughts because he was trying to remember all of the details. "I was looking for Ruby when I suddenly heard her voice coming from behind a wall."

"The Nemean," Whispered Yang.

"Is that what it's called? Either way, it's what is responsible for the cuts on my legs and chest. I managed to hurt it back and afterward it just left."

"Just like that?" Asked Blake.

"It was waiting for him to bleed out," Yang answered.

"I figured that's what it was doing, so I decided to go back to Weiss and Pyrrha but then I was attacked from behind. It was this weird monkey Grimm thing. I never have seen anything like it, it was even wielding this weapon"

Ruby Excitedly cut in, "Oh that's Called a Vanara! They are super rare!"

"I guess I'm lucky… or rather unlucky. Either way, I dropped Crocea Mors after it attacked me so I grabbed a Rock and well… I won."

Yang grabbed Jaune and pulled him up. "Well, then I guess Vomit Boy is officially a badass, Well dude looks like you just found your lucky break. Me and Blakey here found the shrine and there are enough Relics for everyone!"

Everyone cheered, except for Weiss. The idea that Jaune was able to survive his repeated injuries, his weird looking blood, the way he acted back when she told him he was going to fail, his eyes back when he was regenerating from Pyrrha's Javelin and on top of all that somehow defeating a Grimm with a Rock! On an intellectual level, Weiss knew that she was being paranoid, she knew that Jaune hadn't done anything to warrant her distrust. But she could not get rid of that ever so annoying pit in her stomach, feeling that he was dangerous. Ruby suggested to me that his Semblance was the reason that he was able to survive being speared from behind but, what about everything else. I'm going to have to talk to a professor about this.

* * *

Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart of Haven Academy was a coward and a traitor, those were two painful facts about himself that he knew and understood. Sure he would argue that he did not have a choice on whether to turn traitor or not. He would even go as far as to say that Ozpin never really left him a choice on this matter, that if people knew what he knew then they would have also chosen as he had. But, that did nothing to justify what he had and what he was about to do.

The screen flickered to life and on it appeared the face of Dr. Arthur Watts. "Well Leo, what's so important that you had to reach out to me on such short notice?"

"Ah, yes well you see something came up that you may find interesting." Leo nervously muttered.

However, Dr. Watts had very little patience for this. "Leo, take a deep breath and calmly explain yourself."

"It would be easier just to show you." Lionheart then sent Dr. Watts a file containing Jaune's information.

"Well let's see… Leo? Is this a joke?" the Dr. already had very little patience for Leonardo's sniveling cowardice but this. This was ridiculous on a level that even he with prodigious intellect was having a hard time understanding. "This boy is dead, I know because I was the one operating on him in the first place. I was there when his heartbeat for the last time, For Oum's sake I was the one who attempted to defibrillate him!"

"Please! Watts!"

"Doctor."

"S... sorry, Please Doctor Watts please keep reading the report." Leonardo pleaded.

Dr. Watt continued to read the report in silence only occasionally stopping now and then to take a drink or to reread a section to make sure he understood it. He never asked any questions nor did he hang up. As a result, Leonardo grew ever more anxious as the seconds turned to minutes and then turned into an hour spent in nervous silence that threatened to drive the Headmaster mad. Finally, Dr. Watts finished reading the report, he leaned back on his chair and began stroking his mustache as he was busy considering everything that he had just read. Eventually, he broke the silence.

"Leo, who wrote this report?" Inquired the Doctor.

"It was Dr. Gris." the Headmaster answered.

Dr. Watts let out a little chuckle, "Oh well Dr. Gris may be an asshole but that also means that this report is most likely true. To think that all I had to do was wait."

"But you said that the boy had died! That his heart stopped beating entirely!"

"According to Dr. Gris, the boy's heart is indeed dead. Now his blood seems to be self-propelled, whatever that means. Either way, I must thank you, Leonardo. This has made my day."

The sick feeling of shame began to wash over Leonardo, Ozpin… I. If only I wasn't such a coward.

Dr. Watts noticed the shame written everywhere on the Headmaster's face. "Oh, chin up Leo. I'll be sure to tell Salem about this gift of yours. Just promise to keep updating me on the boy's progress. You help us and we will take care of you, understand?"

"Yes, Arthur… I understand." With that, the call ended Leonardo was left by himself to wonder just how everything went so wrong.

Dr. Arthur Watts got up from his chair and began walking around his lab. It was a reward from his Queen, a sign that she recognized and appreciated his intellect and work. More importantly, it was a place for him to relax, a place far away from any greedy politician or any other kind of ignorant official. Everything in the room was simple, sterile, efficient and most importantly easily replaceable.

Not too long ago he would wonder to himself if his little experiment with Jaune would have succeeded had he been able to do his work in his main lab rather than the renovated shack where he had been forced to work. However, all those thoughts just felt silly now and thinking about it the Doctor found himself chuckling at his own silly mistake and his good fortune considering how everything ultimately worked out.

The Doctor, now reached his destination, a cabinet with that had been located anywhere else in the world, would have been made of the strongest material available while being outfitted with a security measure that would have been the nightmare of any would-be thief. But, his lab was in the Grimmlands and the Grimm were not known to be thieves. Doctor Watts opened the cabinet, reached inside and pulled out one of several identical vials and began to examine the dark liquid inside. "To think that I nearly threw away something so incredible. Merlot, I don't know from which hole in hell you are watching me from but, on the behalf of Salem. I thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** You'll notice two things the first being that the Nemean was never killed. I was originally going to have Ren and Nora kill it but the scene just needed it up being far too silly. So, I decided that the Nemean should return at a much later date.

The second thing is that I didn't show the end of the fight between Jaune and the Varana. We'll see what happens either the next chapter or the one after, it depends on how well that scene fits in with the rest of the chapter.

Now let's talk about the Nemean, it is an ambush-style Grimm modeled after the Nemean Lion from Greek Mythology. For those who may not know, Nemean Lion would kidnap Maidens to lead wannabe heroes to their deaths hence this Grimm can mimic voices.

Thanks to the last episode of RWBY we now know that Salem can indeed create new types of Grimm, so my explanation for the Nemean and Varana is that she wanted to create Grimm that could kill Huntsmen when their guards were down. This is why the Nemean lures his prey and the Varana only attacks when it thinks it can getaway. Salem only made a few Varana as they more often than not only succeeded in killing foes that were already in dire straits. The Nemean was far more successful but only at killing people without Aura, as a result, there are more Nemeans than Varna.

However, the Nemean's success rate has been on a steady decline thanks to Grimm Awareness programs funded by the Council of Vale.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes:** Man it has been a while though I will admit that it was mostly my fault. Important things happen in this chapter that will have major repercussions throughout this Fic so I wanted to make sure everything was right. Which resulted in rewrite after rewrite… Sorry about that.

* * *

The Grimmlands are without a doubt uninhabitable. There are no plants that naturally grow there and the very little research that has been conducted about that forsaken place suggests that no plants can or will ever grow there. Though no one understands why some have suggested the soil contains trace amounts of poison and others have suggested low air quality as the reason. However the most likely reason seems to be the water or rather the complete lack of water in those barren lands, instead, there are pools of black inky liquid whose existence are closely guarded secrets. The reason for the secrecy ties back into the real reason why the land is so utterly devoid of life, the Grimm and the black inky pools that give birth to them.

However, if one were to somehow venture deep enough into that hellscape they would find a palace, not a ruin devoid of life but, an actual palace with a sovereign sitting on her dreadful throne: Salem, the ruler of the Grimm. She was a woman of inhuman power, intellect, and presence that when combined with her morbid beauty left little wonder as to why some would worship her as an actual goddess. As for the good Doctor, Salem was not a goddess. She, however, was his boss, benefactor and someone who without a doubt was a true Queen and thus deserved respect and now it was time for him to give his Queen a report of his time and findings.

"What's it Watt." Salem's voice echoing through the throne room gave Dr. Watts Goosebumps and a small cowardly part of him wanted to simply apologize for the intrusion and leave. However then he would then be guilty of wasting her time and thus punished accordingly, so he kept going and once he was able to properly squash that rebellious part of him that wanted to run, did he speak.

"My liege, are you aware of the late Dr. Merlot's final project?" he asked with a respectful bow.

"I do remember it well. I remember that it was a complete failure, I remember that it took time away from his working projects, the ones that actually had value." Salem's voice was cold and her face was devoid of emotion but there was anger. Thinking about Merlot made her angry or maybe it was the thought of that failed project or maybe it was both, her face gave no answers and no clues.

Dr. Watts was not prepared for this response and once again a tiny fearful part of him wanted to hide his discovery and pretend like there was nothing to report. Calm down, Arthur. Her mood will improve when you show her the file."My Queen, I have recently learned that Dr. Merlot's final Project was not, in fact, a complete failure and if you should permit me I will show you the medical file of a young fool by the name Jaune Arc otherwise now known as Patient Zero."

Salem's eyes narrowed but she did not seem upset rather, she seemed interested. She motioned for Dr. Watts to come closer which he obeyed with all due haste. Once he was in front of her she silently motioned with her hand to continue his presentation. With a feeling of relief and satisfaction he pulled out his scroll, found the files regarding Jaune and with Salem's permission, he began his presentation.

* * *

Jaune hated going to the doctor's, people only ever go to the doctor when they are sick when something is wrong with their body. Something was very wrong with his body but, at the same time it was thanks to that "Disease," he was still alive. Pyrrha would have killed him, The Nemean would have killed him and whatever that monkey thing was would have also killed him.

Jaune only survived because he was violated, mutilated and left for dead by whoever that Goddamned mad Surgeon was but even after all that, it wasn't enough. Laying on the medical bed in the Rest and Recovery ward, Jaune was reminded just how weak he still was and he hated that.

"Ah, you are awake, that is excellent news." The sudden voice of Ozpin took ahold of Jaune's attention and thus he turned to face the headmaster who had just entered the room and was now standing next to Jaune's bed. "How are you feeling Mr. Arc?"

"I feel like shit." On any other day Jaune would never dream of talking to Ozpin like that however, he honestly felt like shit.

The Headmaster had every right to be offended by Jaune's blunt and rather crude reply but instead, he just chuckled and sat on the chair next to the bed Jaune was laying in. "First off let me be the very first to properly welcome you to Beacon. Congratulations Jaune. You earned it."

"But I was nothing but dead weight." Jaune tried to reason.

"You were not the one at fault there Jaune, it was Pyrrha who was at fault, she threw the Javelin. Your injuries and naturally your performance was due entirely to her lapse in judgment. But, even then you still managed to pass."

Jaune upon being reminded of what Pyrrha accidentally did to him was filled briefly with an incredible rage that was promptly drowned by the memory of her terrified face and her heartfelt apology. The anger that he felt toward her quickly evaporated leaving nothing but the hollow feeling of shame. This was something that Ozpin noticed, "Jaune it is perfectly alright to be angry at Pyrrha…"

"Huh?"

"Jaune, the life of a Huntsman is a stressful one and when you consider how we have to hide our fears for the sake of the people we protect... it's hard. I won't sugarcoat it for you, I've seen more than one huntsman go through a breakdown because of the subtle double life this work requires. Learning how to control and properly vent out your emotions is essential if you want to work in this career, honesty with others and especially yourself is key. In your case, Pyrrha made a mistake and it nearly cost you."

"But, she apologized! She tried to help me pass, I would have failed without her help!" Jaune couldn't believe his ears, why was Ozpin doing this?

"Yes I know, Jaune it was thanks to all the care and assistance she gave you that made me and the rest of the professors decided to appoint her as the captain of your team."

Now Jaune was just getting confused, "Then why are you telling me that it's okay to be angry?"

"Because it is okay because anger is a normal and perfectly acceptable reaction especially when we consider everything that you have already gone through. Normally, I would not bother to meddle like this in the affairs of my students. Don't misunderstand me, my door is always open to those who honestly want my help but, this is not a normal situation Mr. Arc. You are not a normal student."

There it is, there it is. He thinks I'm some kind of monster. And he's right. Without realizing it, Jaune began biting his lip. He was biting so hard that he had already broken through the skin and was now bleeding. Ozpin, however, noticed this and handed the poor boy a handkerchief.

"I must apologize. I never meant to offend you like that or imply anything. Jaune I have lived for a long long time and I have never seen anything like you before, there is a lot that I am not sure of. But I know this, you don't have to suffer alone. If you hold no grudge against Pyrrha then that is fantastic but if a part of you still resents her then please, tell her. It will save both of you much pain and regret to get this out of the way now."

Ozpin then got up to leave but as he when he reached the door, stopped as though he suddenly remembered something important that he was supposed to say. "By the way Mr. Arc, I would recommend lying about the nature of your regenerative abilities."

And now Jaune was confused again, "What do you mean Professor?"

"This is a Huntsman Academy, you are going to get hurt. Sooner or later you are going to be injured to a degree that will trigger that ability of yours. When that happens people are going to assume that it is your Semblance in action and I would recommend that you agree with them, at least for now."

Jaune quickly grasped the wisdom in Ozpin's words but the last part made him puzzled. "What do you mean for now?"

Ozpin gave a hearty chuckle before answering. "Do you honestly think that this is a secret that you can hide forever? Sooner or later, Mr. Arc, your true Semblance will reveal itself and then they will have questions. But, that is in the future and I am confident that together we will be able to resolve this whole issue."

With that Ozpin left to get back to work leaving Jaune alone.

* * *

Nora was excited, how could she not be excited? She and Ren got into Beacon and more importantly, they got on a team with each other, Go team PRAN (Prismarine)! But there was still work that needed to be done! First, they need to decide on sleeping arrangements, then they need to decide on chores, bathing schedules, who will go out for booze runs, just so much needed to be done!

With many plans still running through her mind, Nora excitedly turned to her best friend and asked. "Say, Ren, do think you think you can take the bed by the window? With your Mad Ninja Skills, you'd be able to sneak out whenever you want!"

"Nora, maybe we should wait for the last member of our team to voice his opinion," Ren stated this in such a cool and interesting manner that most people would think that he was just tolerating his partner's antics. Those people, however, would be wrong as Ren was already considering the best means to put Nora's plans into action.

"Oh, that's a good Point Ren! We don't want our first meeting to be like. Hey! There, nice to meet you. By the way, while you were recovering we made a bunch of important decisions about the next four years and beyond without you! Let's be friends!"

Pyrrha, who had been silently arranging her stuff on the bed nearest to the bathroom flinched at the reminder of Jaune's absence and especially at the reason why he wasn't with them. And then her treacherous mind began its assault. It's your fault you know, he wouldn't be in that condition if it wasn't for your selfish wish. Did you even ask if he wanted to be your partner? No, you Didn't, Instead, you Selfishly tried to pin him to a tree and what happened?

"Excuse me Pyrrha."

Her heart nearly jumped right out of her chest and when she turned around to see who startled her she saw Ren and even Nora staring at her with concern on their faces. There was a silence that felt like it was going to suffocate Pyrrha who finally decided to break it.

"What?" she asked, not in a mean or annoying way but rather in a hushed tone. Like she was just trying to get away from this uncomfortable situation. Your fault.

Nora was the one to answer, "You were shaking."

"I… I was?!"

Ren decided at this moment to step in, "Go to him Pyrrha."

"What!?"

Ren pressed on, "I heard about what happened in initiation."

It felt like the world was slowly growing darker.

"Then you know what happened, how I hurt him." Pyrrha felt the heat leaving her body as she said this.

This time it was Nora who responded. "We also heard from Ruby how you helped him. How he wouldn't have passed without your help."

"But I'm Reason he needed help in the first place!" Pyrrha was now shouting.

"And that's why you needed to talk to him. The two of you need to be able to put this behind you. Otherwise, this will just fester and sooner rather than later it will burst." Ren's face remained so calm and collected as he said this but, his eyes were different. There was a nostalgic sadness in his eyes, as though he was remembering something.

"I know we just met Pyrrha but, please. Trust me and Ren on this. We… we have made similar mistakes in the past." Nora was looking down and gripping her arm as she said this.

Pyrrha was the top graduate at Sanctum Academy, she was four times Mistral regional champion, she was the Invincible Girl and now she was scared, no she was horrified. Pathetic. Just how pathetic can you be? And yet despite her fear, she kept walking down that hallway, walking to the room where Jaune was. Is he alright? Is he even still awake? Does he hate me? Of Course, he hates you. Pyrrha's pace quickened as she tried to ignore that tired old and always disappointed voice in her head. She was almost running now and before she fully realized it, she had reached the Rest and Recovery room and now the only thing between her and Jaune was a wooden door.

She reached out to the door handle to open the door but she couldn't, she just couldn't bring herself to open the door. She couldn't explain it, she just felt the strength drain from her arms and as that happened she felt a rising desire to run away, to go back to her dorm room and lie to Ren and Nora by telling them that Jaune was asleep. But she couldn't do that either, for some reason her feet felt frozen. Coward. Failure. Weak.

"SHUT UP!" Pyrrha shouted into the empty hallway. "Just shut up!"

The door to the R&R opened up and a confused Jaune emerged. "Um, Pyrrha… are you okay?"

Pyrrha took a moment to compose herself before looking him right in the eye. "No Jaune, I'm not alright and we need to talk."

They stared at each other in silence. Jaune then stepped to the side and pointed inside the room.

"Dr. Gris is in his office right now, we can talk in private here." With that, both he and Pyrrha entered the room. Once inside the admirably large and cozy room, Jaune directed Pyrrha to some sofas that were by the entrance and together they sat down.

Pyrrha spoke first, "Jaune, I wanted to know… are you going to be alright?" Such a disappointment. Pyrrha's old anxieties were now in full force, it was almost funny really. The Great Pyrrha Nikos was stumbling towards an anxiety attack all because she didn't dare to ask her partner something as simple as "Hey are you alright and can I do anything to help?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. I was getting ready to go meet you and the rest of the team in the dorms." Jaune answered but there was an edge to his voice that made Pyrrha flinch just little but it was something that Jaune noticed. I guess Ozpin was right, I'm still angry at Pyrrha and judging by her reaction she is still upset by what happened. Knowing what he had to do Jaune gathered his courage and continued. "Actually, No Pyrrha I'm not alright."

It felt like her worst fears were about to be realized but, to her credit, she did not try to flee the room. Despite what that damnable voice in her head may say, she was strong enough to bear the weight of his hate if she had to. Sure, she trembled every step of the way here but, she came anyway and she would take it, no matter how much she hated it or how badly it would hurt. You're Faking Courage.

Jaune continued, "Pyrrha I would be lying to you if It said that I wasn't still a little angry with you." That was the easy part, now comes the hard. "But, I am far angrier no… not angry. Rather I'm disappointed with myself."

Pyrrha was a bit bewildered at this, "But Jaune you did nothing wrong! I was the one who hurt you! You should be angry at me!"

"I'm angry at you Pyrrha, but only a little. Sure you were the one who speared me, but that was an accident and you took responsibility. You argued on my behalf and you even carried me until I could stand on my own two feet. I passed thanks to you!" Jaune was fully sincere as he said this and this created an odd feeling in Pyrrha.

"Jaune… I don't deserve this. You should be angry at me, not disappointed in yourself, I was the one at fault, not you!"

Jaune closed his eyes to better think for a bit, he needed to carefully word the next part correctly and as he sat in meditative silence memories began to resurface. Memories of a bar, memories of an operating table, memories of pain and a memory that felt like dying and now Jaune knew what he wanted, no. Want he needs to say. "Pyrrha, before I came to Beacon… I was hurt. Nothing personal but I'm not to tell you what happened and I would appreciate it if you don't ask me questions about it."

Pyrrha nodded her head in understanding.

"I'm not comfortable saying this but, back then I felt such a feeling of helplessness that I swore I would never feel that way again. And then initiation happened and once again I was helpless for a while. I was furious at you, at Weiss, at the whole damn world but mostly at myself. I thought I had grown stronger since then but, I was still just as naive and vulnerable as I ever was."

"I'm sorry Jaune." it was now starting to dawn on Pyrrha just how grim her sins were.

Jaune attempted to interrupt the apology but Pyrrha raised a hand to ask him to wait, which he did.

"Jaune, you did nothing wrong. As soon as you could you began walking on your own, you helped us in every fight that you could and you were the one who spotted the Nemean. Weiss is alive thanks to you."

"And then I was ambushed by the same thing." Jaune bitterly added.

"You got ambushed while trying to make sure Ruby was safe! None of us knew that there even were Grimm that could mimic voices but more importantly, you were able to fight it off! You even killed another Grimm while ambushed and wounded! You are Strong!" Now it was Jaune's turn to be blown away by the sincerity in Pyrrha's voice.

"Thank you, Pyrrha. Thank you for carrying me, thank you for fighting for me and thank you for calling me out for my idiocy… I'm glad that it was you that found me in the forest."

"So are the two of you going to make out or what?"

Jaune and Pyrrha both nearly jumped out of their respective seats before turning to see both Ren and Nora standing at the door. Before Jaune could ask who they were, Nora already crossed the distance and began shaking Jaune's hand.

"I'm Nora Valkyrie and he is Lie Ren! But don't call him Lie, that's his last name not his first but it comes first instead of last and it is weirrrrred! Also, you owe the two of us a Monkey!"

Ren then stepped in to clarify, "You stole our kill."

And now Jaune was more confused than ever, "Pardon?"

"You heard him say you Kill Stealer! We were going to kill that monkey and then I was going to make a jacket out of it!" Nora proclaimed.

"Nora, you can't make clothes out of Grimm. Their bodies evaporate when they are killed." Ren Calmly stated.

"And that is bullshit! I mean come on! You already tried to kill me, the least you could do is let me make a jacket out of your skin!"

Looking at them, looking at his teammates for the next four years filled Jaune with an odd sense of relief. Sure there were still plenty of uncertainties that remained on his mind and the mind of Pyrrha but they didn't seem so big anymore. Rather they felt like everything was going to somehow work out just fine.

* * *

Salem was smiling as she watched the recording of Jaune fighting the Varana. But, it was not the fight itself that impressed her, after all, it was a rather short fight. Nor was she impressed with Jaune, he was just another one of Ozpin's ignorant pawns in the middle of beating what amounted to an overgrown monkey to death with a rock. However, what was inside the boy was a whole other story.

Quite frankly Jaune should be dead, he should have died months ago at Watt's hands, he should have died after that Javelin cut his flight short, he should have died again at the jaws of the Nemean and finally, that first blow from the Varana should have ended his life and yet there he was still alive and more importantly fighting with a strength and ferocity that was more suited to the Grimm. The medical reports revealed that Jaune was not huntsman material, while he was by no means unhealthy he was nowhere near the level of physical requirement needed to be accepted into a Huntsman academy let alone one as prestigious as Beacon. And yet there he was on screen overpowering and pinning down a Grimm with one hand while the other was raising a rock to finally crack the monster's skull open and it was all thanks to Dr. Merlot's yet unfinished creation.

When the video ended she turned to Dr. Watts. "Arthur I most certainly hope you did not use all of those delightful vials experimenting on random people."

"I most certainly did not your Grace, I still have around a dozen left." Arthur quickly answered,

"Excellent, then I want you to get to work right away on finishing what Merlot started. I, of course, will assist you in this endeavor."

"Right away your Highness!" With that Dr. Watts left the throne room to begin work on his most ambitious project yet.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So let's talk about Pyrrha, first off Jaune was never going to be the leader thanks to his condition which leaves Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha. Nora was out thanks to her wild nature and since Nora and Ren never met with the others, Ren never got a chance to show any leadership skills. Sure Pyrrha hurt Jaune but that was an accident and she took responsibility for it and was even willing to trust in his abilities later. So, I felt that there was never really a choice.

As for the voice in her head, that is part of my headcanon. I think that Pyrrha wasn't exactly at the peak of emotional and mental health and I tried to demonstrate that here.

The Real funny thing about all of this is that originally there wasn't going to be any focus on what the characters were thinking or what they felt about things. Then I was writing it just sort of happened and I think that the story is better for it.

PS

Writing for Nora and Ren is a delight and if there are any fanfics with them as the MCs please let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

Blake Belladonna knew the importance of first impressions as they were bases for how people would relate to you and thus treat you in the future. As a Faunus, she understood all too well just how hard it could be to overcome a bad first impression regardless of how unfair or inaccurate it was and it was one of the reasons she chose to hide her ears with a bow. As annoying as it was, first impressions were just a fact of life and she had gained an impression from each of her newfound teammates. For example, the first impression that she got from her partner Yang was that she was a bit of an adrenaline junkie. The first Impression that she got from her new leader Ruby was that she was excitable and perhaps even a little naive and the first impression she got from Weiss… was that she was a Schnee.

Now Blake was completely aware by how hypocritical it sounded but no one could blame her for it, after all her first encounter with Weiss involved the Schnee going off on Ruby for the crime of bumping into her, admittedly there was also an explosion but that was Weiss' fault for waving an open vial in front of Ruby's nose, not that the heiress would ever admit that. On top of that Weiss had to go and act so damn arrogant even as Ruby tried to apologize and well the whole scenario made for a very poor first impression. To make that first impression even worse add the fact that Weiss carried herself with such pride over being a Schnee as if it was something to be proud of, especially when the patriarch of the Schnee family was a man who would be rotting jail if there was ever any justice for the Faunus. When Blake looked at Weiss she saw someone who grew up enjoying Luxury and Privilege that was undeserved and more than once Black thought to herself, A Schnee if I ever saw one, I pity any team that ends up with her.

Sometimes Blake wondered if there was some god out there that hated her.

* * *

Their first day as a team was a surprising one for Blake, starting with the revelation that Yang and Ruby, despite not looking anything alike, were in fact sisters. There is probably an interesting story there, maybe I should ask Yang one day. The other surprise came from Weiss of all people who handled the chaos of settling into a new normal with a shocking but somewhat forced enthusiasm. Blake at first didn't care about Weiss' attitude and dismissed it as Wiess being simply too "Good," for the rest of them but a small part of her noted that she had seen this sort of behavior before, back when she was a member of the White Fang. So she decided to keep observing the Heiress.

"Hey Weiss, what do you think of bunk beds?" Ruby asked her agitated partner with all the excitement of a child on their birthday.

Weiss' answer was almost instantaneous and carried with it a nasty edge. "Ruby that is stupid-" Weiss quickly stopped herself and took a deep breath before calmly surveying the room and noticing that the rest of Team RWBY was looking at her, then under her breath, she whispered to no one but herself and completely unaware that Blake could still hear her "Calm down, you need to calm down." Weiss then looked right back and Ruby and said "I apologize if I startled you. If you think you can somehow make stable bunk beds then please go right ahead."

Weiss' apology was a surprise and her approval for the bunkbeds was an even shock but, neither held Blake's attention as much as what the princess muttered under her breath. Now I know something is bothering her, though it could be something as simple as being upset that she isn't the leader. She is a pampered heiress after all. Well, whatever it's her problem, not mine. With that thought, Blake turned her attention to the Bunk Beds under construction and walked over to help.

Blake would never openly admit it and she would forever deny it if anyone ever asked her but building the bunk beds was kind of fun. However, the noise generated caught the attention of their sister team PRAN who showed up to find out what was going on.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Hey, Ruby it's Jaune! Is everything alright in there?"

Ruby ran over to the door and opened it "We made Bunk Beds!" she proudly proclaimed to her friend who she then took by the arm and pulled him inside to better show him. "And this is my older sister Yang and that's her partner Blake and you already know Weiss!"

At this point, Blake decided to ignore the conversation and go back to reading her book until a bit of white entered her vision from the corner of her eye. Tilting her head ever so slightly Blake spotted Weiss sitting on a bunk bed. Most people would think nothing of this but then again Huntresses were not most people.

"Well, I better head back to my team. See you at lunch?" Jaune asked.

"And miss the chance to meet the rest of your team? Hell no! We'll see you then Vomit Boy!" Yang cheerfully answered.

"Airsickness is a very common thing!" Jaune declared as he walked away.

As soon as he was gone Yang carefully closed the door and turned around to face Weiss who was still minding her own business at the corner of the bunk bed. "Hey, Weiss are you feeling alright? You seem a little fluttered."

"What it's nothing, nothing at all. I assure you I'm perfectly fine…" Weiss sighed in defeat when the look that Yang was giving made clear that she wasn't buying it. Weiss then decided to just be honest, "It's just that Initiation is still weighing on my mind."

"Yeah, I get what you mean. Those Grimm you fought, they were something else alright. Back then I honestly had a hard time believing what you, sis and Pyrrha had to say about them, I mean my dad and my uncle told me and Ruby about them but when you think of Grimm you think brutes but, those things were… smart, to a degree. Mimicking voices, wielding weapons, retreating and ambushes that's the kind of stuff you'd expect when fighting a person. But to hear a Grimm doing that, It makes me wonder what's next? A Grimm disguised as a human?" Yang wondered out loud.

For a moment, for one brief telling moment Weiss's eye widened and her mouth dropped open but that moment was soon gone and her face returned to normal, whether anyone else besides herself noticed it or not, Blake did not know. But what Blake did know was that Weiss was scared.

* * *

Their actual first class as official students of Beacon was something that would haunt the nightmares of every single student for years to come: Grimm Studies with Professor Peter Port. The worst part of it all was how little sense it made, Professor Port was a celebrated Huntsman! His stories were insane and this was Grimm Studies! Why was he so Boring?

"And then I went out to grab the hose that I required in order to fill the pool with the vaseline that I needed to defeat the Gustav!" Port went on and on and on and Blake's attention began to drift away slowly but surely surrendering to the sweet temptation of sleep. This man's stories could be used as a weapon. Maybe that's his Semblance.

"And can I now have a volunteer to fight this rowdy Grimm." The professor said while pointing to a cage that wasn't there just a minute ago or maybe it was always there and nobody noticed until now. That snapped Blake wide awake as she scanned the room in a surprised daze.

"I'll do it." Declared Weiss who was already making her way down to face the Grimm.

"Oh! So you think you have what it takes to take down the Grimm eh? Well, Miss Schnee, you are in for a treat." Professor Port then walked over to the cage and began to lean on it, "Inside this cage is what is known as a Regional Grimm. Can anyone tell me what that means?"

Several people raised their hand and Port picked a dark-skinned Fanus who had Tusks. "Well Sir, Regional Grimm are species of Grimm that only live in certain regions of the World. Like the Manticores of Atlas or the Bombardiers of Vacuo."

"Very good Katherine. Now Miss Schnee inside here is what is known as a Boartusk. They are not the most dangerous of Grimm but they are Tenacious and have one rather unusual but effective trick that you will know when you see it. Now, Are you ready?" Port asked Weiss who was finishing her preparations. Once she was done she nodded to the Professor who pulled out an ax and broke the lock freeing the beast who shot out like a cannonball. Weiss was knocked to the floor almost immediately.

"Oh, dear it looks like this particular Piggy is trying to be a wolf! Better watch out Miss Schnee once a Boartusk starts its death roll it is almost always better to get out of it's away." Port spoke with an almost sing-song tone.

Weiss quickly recovered just in time to see the Boartusk charge in a second time however this time it wasn't rolling towards her. Why isn't it rolling? I'll have to study the Regional Grimm of Vale afterward. She waited for the last moment before gracefully twirling away to sides of the creature and striking at its legs as it passed her. However, Myrtenaster only struck the boney armor of the beast.

"The Belly Weiss! Boartusks have no Armor there!" Shouted Ruby.

Weiss turned to her leader, "Can you please no-" and was once again knocked down by the Boartusk who took full advantage of Weiss' distraction. This time instead simply knocking her over the Boartusk instead stood over the Heiress and attempted to trample her to death.

"Well, Miss Schnee are you in need of any assistance?" Professor Port inquired?

Instead of answering, Weiss created a Sigil Barrier between her and the Boartusk which pushed the creature off her. However true to the Professor's earlier warnings the monster was indeed tenacious and began working to destroy the barrier. Wasting no time Weiss took Myrtenaster and rammed it into the ground releasing several spears of ice that pierced the beast from underneath ending its unnatural life.

"Bravo, Miss Schnee. I must applaud your rather clever use of sigils and Ice Dust. Though I, unfortunately, must insist that you stay behind after class to help remove all this ice."

"Come on Guys let's help Weiss!" Ruby then made her way over to help the rather grateful heiress and was soon joined by both Blake and Yang.

While cleaning the mess Blake recalled the conversation that happened back in their dorm room and considered Schnee's reaction. Strange, I thought she was just unnerved by the Grimm around here. I know I was when I first came here, But she wasn't at all scared by that Boar Tusk. Maybe her encounter with the Nemean raised her standards? Well, it is not like any of these matters.

* * *

It has been a week since then and things Blake found herself with the surprisingly pleasant need of adjusting her impressions of some people. Ruby for starters still lacked many leadership qualities and was still hopelessly naive but she was trying, she wanted to learn and Blake could appreciate that. Yang was another interesting case as Blake noticed that her partner had this kind almost motherly side to her that came out especially when Ruby was involved. And then there was the Schnee, who to her credit was no longer acting so nervously. Unfortunately, this meant that Weiss was now acting like the spoiled princess wannabe that she was.

But, at least Team PRAN was nice.

"And Then I and Ren were able to feed ourselves for the winter off of the money we made selling those Beowulf Furs!" Declared Nora who was somehow speaking rather clearly despite having a mouth full of pancakes.

"It was a dream she had last night " Ren explained

Lunch was turning out to be a rather interesting experience thanks mostly to the antics of Nora and Ren. Even Blake couldn't help but smirk a little just watching and listening to those two, there was just something so wonderfully bizarre about how on the surface Nora and Ren were complete opposites and they were so in sync with each other. Even their leader Pyrrha was a pleasant surprise as she was rather friendly rather than being as stuck up as Blake would have imagined a celebrity might be. Jaune himself was surprisingly cheerful and looked unusually healthy considering everything he went through during initiation, then again perhaps it was to be expected from someone who had High-Speed Regeneration as his Semblance.

"Please let go!"

"See I told you that these were real. Man what an absolute freak!"

And just like that, the bright and happy mood of lunch was destroyed.

Cardin Winchester was the worst kind of person possible. An asshole who for some goddamn reason never seems to get punished. It was thanks to people like him that the Faunus had to fight for their freedom. It was thanks to bastards like him that Faunus had to struggle to overcome many disgusting and inaccurate preconceptions. It was thanks to people just like Cardin Winchester that men like Jacques Schnee were able to legally commit what amounted to crimes against humanity over and over again without ever facing a single consequence for their despicable actions.

Blake wanted to scream at Cardin, she wanted to scream at the Faunus girl whose ears he was pulling. Fight back! Why won't you fight back?! Cardin won't stop unless you make him stop. Blake turned to her team and saw them all just sitting there, clearly uncomfortable and in the case of Yang even angry as for Weiss! She just sat down looking… ashamed? Then why aren't you doing anything? Blake was now reaching her limit, soon she was just going to march over to Cardin herself and break his jaw.

"Let her Go!"

Blake turned to see who was talking and to her surprise, she saw Jaune with a furious look on his face standing up and marching over to Cardin and the Faunus girl. One of Cardin's teammates attempted to intercept the blond but Jaune simply shoved some guy with a Mohawk away and continued his march completely unopposed this time.

"Let her go. Cardin."

Cardin shockingly did comply, letting go of the girl who thanked Jaune and then quickly left. Cardin then got up from his seat and stood over Jaune with a gross overconfident simile on his face. "So you're Jaune Arc, I've heard about you. I heard about the things you supposedly did during initiation. About how you needed to be protected by a group of women."

Jaune was not at all affected by Cardin's attempts to taunt him, "I do not. Care. What you think. I just want you to cut your bullshit."

However, Cardin just ignored Juane's warning and kept on talking "Though I gotta say maybe being protected by some women isn't such a bad thing considering the ones protecting you. An Heiress that might as well be a princess from a storybook and a Star Athlete with a body that helped her rise in fame as well as raise a few other things, if you catch my drift." Cardin added a crooked smile and a perverse wink to drive the point he was making.

Jaune raised a fist to strike Cardin but Nora grabbed Jaune's arm and held it back with her great strength. "Don't do it Jaune! You'll be the one in trouble if you do."

"And even now you are being protected by yet another beauty. You really are sick Jauney Boy."

"What!? I'm the sick one here? How?" he asked, fully confused and angry.

"Because asshole the rumors don't stop with you being bodyguarded by a pair of babes. They also include you fighting alongside them and even destroying a Varana with a rock of all things. Now I got to ask, how is that possible? How can you be injured to the point that you needed to be protected and yet when able to win a fight for your life not even three hours later?"

Jaune's expression went from grim seriousness to confusion to horror and then settling right on anger. "Is there a point to this?"

"Just a friendly warning, losers like you who pretend to act tough or weak when it suits them disgust me almost as much as the animals that society is letting walk around without a leash. Now Jauny Boy let me get to the point. Take your wannabe Cardboard Heroism and Plastic Chivalry and shove it deep up your ass and Fuck off. Or I'll get to the bottom of those rumors and prove what a pathetic faker we both know that you are."

Ruby then jumped up from her seat, "Well then you'll sorry Cardin! Because Jaune really did do all that and for your information his Semblance is Regeneration! That's how he could do it!"

Cardin just smirked "Regeneration huh? That's an odd Semblance for a Huntsman to have, It makes me wonder how it works considering how Aura is supposed to protect us. But let's assume that the brat is telling the truth and I really do hope she is. I've been needing a new punching bag," with that Cardin left the cafeteria followed by the rest of his team.

Blake's anger was beginning to fade as the source of that anger left the cafeteria but that racist Misogynistic pile of crap in armor wasn't the only cause for her ire and fire in her veins refused to be extinguished. She could feel her contempt for the people around her begin to grow as she started to look around at the cafeteria looking at everyone who only stood and watched. Looking at the ones who couldn't be bothered to make a difference, who allowed and would have continued to tolerate such abuse as long as it never affected them. I need to calm down. I need to leave and find a nice quiet place and just. Calm down. Without sparing a word or a glance at anyone else Blake left the cafeteria.

Even with the causes removed the uneasy feeling hanging over the head of those who remained refused to disperse. Instead, an element of awkwardness was added to it when it became apparent that not everyone in the cafeteria had noticed the altercation or perhaps they just didn't care.

"Ren?"

"Yes, Nora?"

"I'm not hungry anymore."

"Neither am I" and without anything else needing to be said between the two they also left. This triggered a chain reaction as all the remaining members of team RWBY and team PRAN left the cafeteria. Some left just to get their minds off of things and others left to blow off steam and were followed by those wanting to make sure that their friends were okay. But, Weiss did not leave, she just stayed sitting in her chair running the events through her mind again and again.

The way Jaune was looking at Cardin, his voice… It's just like it was back at the initiation. And those points that Cardin brought up he's right! That bastard was completely right; it is just far too strange. But I was there! I know that Jaune wasn't pretending but, then how was he able to fight? Jaune is hiding something from us.

* * *

The Library was her safe haven, the one place that Blake could go to when she just needed to waste time or in this case calm down. Scanning through the shelves Blake found the perfect books to help her relax and was about to do so when a familiar pair of brown bunny ears wandered into her field of view. If I am remembering correctly her name of Velvet and she is a second-year, which probably means that she could have taken Cardin. So why did she just take it? Resolving to find out, Blake put the books she was planning to read on a nearby table and made her way over to where Velvet was being very careful to make sure that she would be spotted or heard by the rabbit Faunus was currently sitting by herself in an empty corner of the library. Blake suddenly stopped, What am I going to say to her? Going back to her little corner she grabbed some of the books that she left at the table and made her way back to Velvet.

"I didn't think you were gonna talk to me after you left earlier," remarked Velvet without even looking at Blake.

"I just thought you needed something to help take your mind off of things, so I brought these," Blake then offered one of the books to Velvet who took it and looked right at the cover.

"Ninjas of Love? Isn't that a stupid love about a Ninja whose constantly shagging or getting shagged?"

"Yes, yes it is but, it also comes with a surprisingly good plot and many likable characters" Blake admitted with just a tinge of shame.

"Really?" Velvet pointed to another seat nearby, "How about you tell me about this plot?"

Blake had many questions she wanted to ask Velvet, but all of them could wait. At least until after Velvet became comfortable enough to allow her to even ask what she knew would be some very personal questions. Right now, however, it was time for some bonding "So it all starts with this guy known as the Gangbang Shogun."

* * *

Jaune was in the middle of opening up his locker to retrieve what was left of his armor along with Crocea Mors and once he was done with that he made his way to one of the changing stalls.

"Jaune what are you going to do?" Asked an extremely concerned Pyrrha.

He was surprised but it didn't stop him from entering one of those stalls to begin changing while speaking to his team leader "How long have you been here?"

"I just got here, I wanted to make sure that you were alright," Pyrrha answered.

"I just need to blow off some steam and I figured I might as well do something productive. In this case, it means doing a little extra training," he answered.

"In that case let's train together, that way I'll have a good idea where everyone is with each other," she suggested.

"Look Pyrrha I appreciate the offer but, right now I just need time to cool off."

"I… I understand but if there is any way I can help you."

"I'll let you know."

"Well… I'll see you later Jaune," without saying another word Pyrrha left Jaune to his self-training. How could someone like you help him anyway?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

There is a lot to unpack this chapter so let's start with the easiest: The Gustav's are an amphibious Grimm based on the Crocodile. They are ambush-style predators that are found in large freshwater rivers and canals though there are some saltwater variants. They are not particularly large or heavily armored or have impressive land speed but they have very powerful jaws and are known to kill very quickly.

The name itself comes from a Real-Life Crocodile that is said to hunt the Nile River.

As for the POV of the chapter, well I just wanted to practice writing from a different POV and I thought that Blake would have a rather interesting perspective for this point in the story. I also wanted to give her a friend.

As for Weiss' fight, I simply wanted to try something different. Also, her paranoia has returned in full force.

And for Cardin, well I wanted to show that other characters do notice what happens around them. Furthermore, it gives a reason for Cardin to antagonize Jaune in the first place.

And as for Pyrrha, I wanted to give her and Jaune's relationship time to grow.

And Finally, Nora stopping Jaune, I'll admit to a little Headcanon here as I believe that Nora is smarter or at the very least wiser than most people think she is. Nora and Ren managed to survive by themselves as kids for who knows how long, there is no way that they haven't learned a hard lesson or two.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Notes:** Guess who just got out of Prison! That's right: Me!

Though in all seriousness I was visiting the Prison to get footage for a documentary I'm working on. So far everything is going well but, it's all but killed my Free Time. However, I'm stubborn and I won't start something I can't finish.

* * *

The blow was aimed at his face but it wasn't a killing strike. It was a strike which was thrown without any intention to actually hurt him, it was a trap designed to make him take a step back and guard his face while leaving everything below unprotected. Jaune knew this, the time he spent with Qrow prepared him for this type of trickery and it showed. He ducked under the blow and thrust Crocea Mors forward Skewering the Training Droid.

"Level 4 Completed," The cold artificial Voice of the Automatic Training System echoed throughout the Self Training Ground. "Would you like to Continue your Session?"

"Reset Level 4," Jaune answered.

Without any fanfare, a shutter door opened up and another combat droid emerged and walked toward the center of the arena walking past the broken remains of several other droids all who had become an outlet for his anger. Once it reached the center it produced a quarterstaff and took a defensive stance as Jaune raised his shield and lowered his stance while pulling his sword arm back angling Crocea Mors at the droid's chest, he was going to impale this chunk of metal just like the robot before it.

"Beginning Combat Exercise in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Begin!"

Jaune shot forth but he was too slow and too eager to end the fight with only one blow, the droid dodged to the side unprotected by Jaune's shield and attacked with a methodical blow to the back of Jaune's head. Aura would have protected anyone else but, he was not like everyone else and the strike sent him stumbling into the ground. Anyone else would have stayed there but, he was not like everyone else and thus he rose once again attacked with a frustration-fueled assault that overwhelmed the droid with brute unrelenting force.

"Level 4 Completed, would you like to continue your session?"

"Reset Level 4."

And so it continued with Jaune striking down yet another machine only to reset and do it again and again and again until his anger finally subsided leaving him feeling empty and burnt out.

"Jaune, are you all right?"

He turned around to face the source of the voice and found a concerned-looking Ozpin standing before him. "Yes, Sir! I, um Well I-," Jaune was at a complete loss for words.

"Mr. Arc do you have any idea what time it is?" the Headmaster inquired.

"Well, I suppose I've been here for a little over an hour and I had Lunch at around twelve so around one thirtyish?"

"Mr. Arc, It is nearly five o'clock," Ozpin replied not with anger or disappointment due to Jaune missing almost a full day of classes but, rather with amusement and intrigue. "I assure that you are not in any trouble with either your professors or your teammates."

"Wh- What!?"

"I heard about what happened in the cafeteria, you did the right thing Jaune when you stood up for Ms. Scarlatina and you should feel proud."

"Proud!? How can I feel any pride about that when I nearly lost control!"

The look of amusement on the Headmaster's face was soon overwhelmed and replaced by one of Empathy "Jaune, one of the most valuable lessons that I have learned in my long life is this: Every single emotion has its time and place. What you went through was a nightmare and I cannot even begin to imagine how bad it must weigh on your mind. I have known many good men and women who would have handled that situation in a far rougher manner."

Jaune's feelings did not have a complete reversal, his doubts were still there and weighing on his mind. However, he felt a calm that he had lost slowly begin to return. Ozpin watching these subtle changes wash over Jaune felt some relief himself and decided to get to the original purpose for his visit.

"The funny thing is your actions in the cafeteria gave me a fantastic idea on how to explain a few things to the rest of the student body, for now at least. Tell me Jaune, do you know of the legend of the Berserkers?"

Now, Jaune was interested but at the same time, he was worried about the name Berserker. That does not sound like anything or anyone I'd want to mess with. "No, sir. I can't say that I have."

"A long time ago before the Kingdoms and even long before the kingdom of Mantle existed ancient warriors who were said to be stronger than ten men and swifter than horses. They were said to be fueled by rage and their bodies were like iron, being able to fight longer than others and survive blows that would have otherwise killed them."

"They sound like people who had their aura unlocked," Jaune observed.

"That's the current theory held by most historians but, I wanted to draw attention to the rage that was said to fuel them. You see Mr. Arc some semblances do draw on emotions like anger or love to fuel themselves and I think that we can convince others that the same thing is happening here."

"And when my actual Semblance emerges?"

Ozpin had to chuckle, I'll grant the boy this. He does seem to have his priorities straight, shame what has happened to him. He could have been a great Huntsman. "Naturally what I am proposing isn't a solution but rather a stopgap. A placeholder if you will for a far better solution."

Jaune understood what Ozpin was saying and saw the wisdom in it, however, he still had questions "But what about the fact my aura doesn't fully protect me? How can a semblance explain that away?"

"You are acquainted with Qrow Branwen, correct?" Ozpin inquired.

"Yeah, he was the one who found me and he showed me the basics of combat."

"Mr. Branwen's Semblance for a lack of any real scientific description causes bad luck to befall the people around him and himself."

"That… sucks so much. Like damn, that's bad," Jaune suddenly felt a little better about himself and his situation and then it hit him "Wait! Does that mean that some Semblances come with some kind of negative backlash or have requirements?"

"Very good Mr. Arc! Now, unfortunately, I must depart back to my office. Miss Goodwitch would surely have a few things to say to me if she found out that I attempted to escape the inhumanity known as paperwork," with that Ozpin left presumably to go back to his office though it was hard to be sure with that man.

What Jaune did know for sure was that his anger and frustrations were still there they had been greatly lessened, Was that his intention? Or was this just a coincidence? Though I suppose that a Headmaster should be aware of what's going on in their school… but, then again they accepted me, a civilian with no training…

Jaune was no longer sure what to think about headmaster Ozpin.

* * *

Ozpin wasn't lying to Jaune, he did need to go back to his office and he did need to work on some rather annoying but rather important paperwork. Nor was he lying when he said that he thought that paperwork was a form of evil torture but, he also acknowledged that paperwork was important, after all, he was responsible for raising the next generation of Humanity defenders so accountability was a must-have. Unfortunately, life has a way of getting in the way.

*BZZZZZZ*

It was Ozpin's private scroll that officially did not exist, only his most trusted comrades knew how to reach it and they only ever called when it was dire. So while continuing to march toward his office Ozpin answered his scroll.

"Hello."

"Oz I got bad news." Qrow's agitation was clear in his voice. "Jaune isn't the only one that was experimented on."

It took all of Ozpin's discipline to keep himself walking forward, to keep smiling and to keep the worry from creeping into his voice and face. He wasn't in his office just yet and there were people around him still, granted those people were just students of his Beacon Academy but Ozpin knew first hand that sometimes it is a small insignificant event that could lead to doubt and then tragedy. "Whatever do you mean?" he said, trying his best to sound pleased, it was difficult but experience brings with it many skills and many opportunities to perfect those skills. Such as lying,

"I found four other people whose stories bear strong similarities with Jaune's."

"Qrow, you of all people would know just how common stories like that are, especially around bars."

"Of course I'm aware Oz, why do you think it took me so long to get back to you? What I meant is that I found four people who suddenly and for seemingly no reason had a violent reaction after drinking a regular drink like coffee in one case and then being picked up by an ambulance that arrived unusually quick."

"But they never arrive at the hospital?" Ozpin suggested.

"Exactly, though in most cases it's nothing but a coincidence that the ambulance was able to get there so fast and the reason they never arrived at the hospitable is that they went somewhere else like a clinic and in one case the person woke up and demanded to be released from the van. I'm not talking about those people Oz, these four I found are different and I had to call in some big favors just to make sure whether they are just like Jaune."

Ozpin was now in his office and he walked straight to the computer ignoring all the paperwork piled on the desk. Ozpin then checked his private mail server and noticed that Qrow had already sent him four files about the people he found, he also noticed that one of the files had been marked at a much higher priority than the other three. "Qrow, what's so special about this fourth person?"

"I never found her and the other three are already dead."

"Dead!?"

"Yup, it wasn't that hard to find their bodies which makes me think that they were meant to be found and all three of them had their corpses mutilated in a way that would cause people to think that it was a Grimm that killed them or least killed in the way citizens think the Grimm like to kill people."

"And the fourth? Were you able to find anything about that person?"

"Not too long after she disappeared there were reports of a ghost lady walking around the woods who matched her exact description, I tried to track her down but I couldn't find anything and now all reports of her sightings have ended." Qrow sighed, "I know this is going to sound messed up but for her sake, I hope she's dead, I don't wanna think about what Salem might do with her."

"Thank you Qrow, now go home and rest a bit. You've earned it." Ozpin then ended the call and began browsing through the files with much on his mind.

The four that Qrow found had very little in common with each other or with Jaune, at first glance one would think very little of that detail but all of Ozpin's experience was urging him to take a closer look to start with what they all had in common: A reason to be found in the woods. Hmmm… whoever did this was either a rather lucky opportunist or they knew exactly who they were targeting, though given Salem's servants in the past there is no possibility that this was a lucky streak of some thug. This was the work of someone higher up on the chain, someone intelligent and familiar with the work of Merlot.

He continued pouring over the files trying to find anything else that could link the four with Jaune but, there was nothing. One was a child, another a middle-aged adult, the one that was missing was an old woman and a Faunus, one was a drifter, another an office worker and two were unemployed... And then it hit Ozpin. They were chosen they were different and because they had an excuse to be in the woods! Whoever did this to them did not know what sort of factors would play a part in this sick experiment so they tried to insert as much variety as they could but then why only five? Maybe there are more victims that we haven't found yet or maybe they only could arrange five test subjects or perhaps they could only afford five.

And so the Headmaster of Beacon would continue this work trying to piece some theory together all while being plagued by one vital question: Was the missing one taken?

* * *

Dinner at Beacon Academy tended to be a comparatively quiet affair when compared to breakfast and especially lunch. This was because there were simply fewer people in the dining hall during this time as a fair number of students were either studying, training or socializing elsewhere. However many simply choose to eat elsewhere, however, for the ones who did choose to eat in the cafeteria an assortment of snacks and lite meals were offered along with various drinks that would either assist with sleep or promote alertness if that was what the student needed. This made the cafeteria a surprisingly good place to study and it was a fact that Team RWBY was currently taking advantage of it.

"Now Ruby, tell me what are the four subvarieties of Ice Dust?" asked Weiss who was enjoying a rather invigorating cup of Green Tea.

"There is Powder, Dry, Standard and Blue," Ruby answered with confidence.

"That's correct. Now explain the process by which one can create Blue Ice from the Standard variety?"

"Well, you need a distillation rig to do so as well as the following variety of Dust…"

While Ruby continued her explanation an impressed Yang turned to Heiress, "What did you do Weiss? Seriously I've been trying for a long time to get her to pay attention to Dust studies. How did you pull it off?"

Weiss was done with her drink and put the cup down on the table, "Well Yang I simply told Ruby to treat Dust like they were weapons."

"You serious? That really worked? HOW!?"

"It bizarrely makes sense, you and Ruby both made your weapons and must have required a lot of math and mechanical know-how," commented Blake.

"Well, yeah. I still get shivers thinking about all the reversions I and Ruby had to make to our blueprints. It was so bad that many students just turned in some lame basic-bitch design. And don't even get me started on actually building the thing."

"...after a thirty-hour break, you can begin the next part of the Distillation process which starts with…" Ruby droned on

"I built Gambol Shroud or rather I took the individual pieces and put them together to make my weapon," Blake added.

"Myrtenaster was a gift from my older sister Winter," there was a warmth to Weiss's voice as she said this as if she was remembering a happy memory.

"...and finally after the fifth and final cycle you have Blue Ice Dust," Ruby put down the scroll she was reading from. "I gotta say, Weiss, that entire process sounds… awful."

"That's the reason why Dust mines are so valuable and the prices between different dust types can be so wide. But, even the most basic form of the most common type has many different uses. It's a big reason why the Schnee Dust Corporation is so big," Weiss did not even try to hide her pride over her family's legacy and that pissed Blake off.

"You would think given how much money they make that would be able to afford to treat their workers better," she spoke with barely concealed venom in her voice and any feeling of comradery began to choke in the oppressive atmosphere that the team now found itself in.

Weiss had for a brief moment a look of shame and of regret, A Schnee does not show weakness! If you want me to entrust the Corporation to you then you must never allow yourself to look weak! Her eyes hardened and she shot back "Believe it or not these sorts of things take time but if the Faunus don't want to wait, they can just find themselves a better job."

Immediately after she said that Weiss wished she could take it back. It wasn't just Blake glaring at her but Yang and Ruby as well and Weiss didn't blame them. "Look, I'm sorry… I didn't mean it I-"

"I'm not hungry anymore." Blake got up and stormed out of the cafeteria leaving her team behind.

"Blake!" Weiss got up and reached out to her teammate but she was stopped by Yang.

"Give her some space, you can apologize later."

With great hesitation Weiss sat back down and tried to collect her thoughts but, once again the cursed voice of her father rang through her head. A Schnee never shows Weakness. She began to grind her teeth and grip her cup so hard that it shattered. Looking at the broken pieces in her hands Weiss also got up to leave.

"Weiss Wait-!" Ruby tried to stop Weiss but she was also stopped by Yang. "Let me Go! Yang Please!" But, her older sister wouldn't let go no matter what. After Weiss had left the cafeteria Ruby spun around to confront Yang "Why did you stop me?! Why wouldn't let me help her!?"

Seeing her little sister be so angry hurt Yang but she had no regrets "Ruby, what Weiss and Blake are dealing with right now is something that neither of us can help them wit-."

Ruby cut Yang off "Then what are we supposed to do? Just watch them hurt each other and themselves!?"

"What I was going to say is that there is nothing we can do while they are like this and that trying to help them without understanding what's going on will only distance them further."

"But, Yang I'm the Leader I need to… I need-" Ruby never got to finish as she was pulled into a hug by Yang.

"Rubes, it's alright. You're doing nothing wrong, it's just that some people need time."

"But I want to help them."

"And we will but we need to give them time and we need help. Remember what dad always told us."

Ruby thought for a moment to consider the situation to figure out what exactly their dad might say. He always did say that we need to rely on each other… wait for no. What he actually said was that Huntsmen rely on each other and that only a fool tries to tackle a big problem alone. Yang is saying we need help! "Are you saying that we need help?"

Yang got up from her seat and began gathering her stuff as well as Ruby's "Look let's be honest, neither you or I know anything about counseling anyone or resolving conflicts that don't involve fighting. But this school is full of us people that have the training and experience and we can just ask them."

"I might know someone who can help."

Both Ruby and Yang turned to see one of their fellow students though he was not one of their classmates; his uniform marked him as a third year. He was surprisingly short, seems to be the same size as Ruby but they could see the way his eyes were moving from behind his brown messy mop of hair, those eyes were observing and analyzing everything around him. "Sorry about my eyes, my semblance is Ocular Enhancement which is a fancy way of saying that I got really good eyes, but enough about me. Were you having a problem with your teammates?"

"I believe that's our business, not yours," Yang responded.

"Look, I get it. But take from a fellow team leader-"

"I'm not the leader, she is," Yang cut him off and pointed to Ruby.

The stranger was a little embarrassed but he was quick to apologize and turned to Ruby to continue "Look, I know that's none of my business but I also had a lot of problems with my team at first. Hell, we still haven't worked everything out but no one expects us to."

"That doesn't help me out," responded a rather uncomfortable Ruby who was now starting to realize just how many people in the cafeteria had seen and heard what happened.

"What I'm trying to say is that if you need advice you should talk to the professors or even the headmaster himself if you need the help."

Ruby was now legitimately curious, "Is there anyone specific you would recommend?"

He thought it over for a few seconds before answering "Talk to Dr. Oobleck if you want to better understand the history of SDC and the Faunus. Dr. Gris is an asshole but he gets to the point and once even canceled a date with his boyfriend to help me out. Oh! And Professor Port!"

Yang did not even try to hold back her surprise, "Really Port!?"

"That guy is good at creating situations and opportunities to work things out," he answered. Before turning back to Ruby "It's going to be rough but, it's worth it."

* * *

Doubt is a funny thing at times, one second you can have your mind completely and utterly made up, so sure in the choice that you step boldly forward to put your plans into action. But then you freeze, out of seemingly nowhere you find yourself doubting both yourself and your plans that you were so confident in a mere minute ago. Suddenly the path forward seems to be shrouded and the small insignificant voice of fear turns into a thunderous roar and right now standing in front of the door to his team's dorm room, Jaune was being consumed by it.

To his credit, he tried to open the door, but his hand felt almost frozen on the doorknob. Come on Jaune all you have to do is lie them just like Ozpin suggested. You have to lie them, they would never understand the truth, they wouldn't want anything to do with you if you knew the truth, they would push you away, you can't even go bac-

"Jaune?" someone was touching his shoulder.

He spun around to see Pyrrha with a concerned and kind look on her face, he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he never noticed when Pyrrha had approached him or when she first called out to him.

"Your eyes! Jaune are you alright?!"

Jaune let go of the doorknob and took a step back "My eyes? What is wrong with my eyes?"

She took a stop and began examining his eyes "Wait, it's gone? Was that the thing that Weiss kept talking about?"

"Pyrrha what is going on?!"

"Your eyes changed Jaune, it was a small change but it was still there. They were becoming darker and your iris… it took on a bit of a copper hue. Is it part of your semblance or is it like Yang's eyes?"

"Look Pyrrha I don't know, I just know that I… I," Jaune wanted to tell her that he couldn't control it, he wanted to ask for her or anyone help but he couldn't seem to form the words. Fortunately, he didn't have to.

"It's okay, Jaune… please just let me help you."

"I, I- Can we just go inside? I don't want others to hear this."

The two went to return to their dorm but stopped at the sight before them.

The doorknob to their room was crushed.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So we meet yet another OC Character designed just to give our cast someone new to interact with now and then. Will any of them ever actually matter? No. Or Will They!? Either way, I think it's high time for some horror to be injected into this crappy horror story! Oh and for those who don't know: There are many different varieties of Ice and Blue is considered the strongest.

And dear Lord was there a lot of talking in this chapter...


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes:** In this chapter, I wanted to try something a little experimental with how I ordered the Scenes… It did not Work. Quite frankly, this chapter would have been done several weeks ago had I not tired my little experiment. But hey… You live and you learn. Either way, the Author's Notes at the bottom will explain what I tried to do if any are interested.

* * *

Dr. Arthur Watts was not a patriotic man but he loved Atlas or rather he loved working in Atlas. He loved how their militaristic culture ensured that everyone understood how the Chain of Command worked, this ensured that everyone working under him in this particular laboratory knew better than to ask questions above their clearance level. Combine that with the racism towards Faunus and the result is not a single question is asked when he had a certain specimen brought in to study her "Condition," and when he told a half-lie about using her to create a combat enhancing drug for Atlas, well everyone jumped right on board.

However, that was several months ago and now people were beginning to ask questions and have second thoughts. It was inevitable as everyone had limits to what they were willing to tolerate and these people were not fools. Dr. Watts only worked with the best and had been well aware that he could only keep up the charade for so long before someone would figure out what they were creating: A true Grimm Hybrid. Already he had to have several would-be-heroes "Let Go," a lesser man might have panicked but, He had been sought out by Salem because he was no mere "Lesser Man," and under his guidance, the research was able to progress making leaps and bounds to his Mistress's goal.

Making his way to the surveillance room Dr. Watts ignored the looks of suspicion he was getting from some of the researchers and various other staff at the laboratory, soon it would be impossible to continue working here. Fortunately, it was already far too late for them to do anything to stop the research, the final experiment was about to begin. Right on schedule, an alarm went off indicating that there was a breach in the lab and now the "Specimen," was free.

Entering the suspiciously empty room the Doctor locked the heavy reinforced doors and sat right in front of the console and pulled a microphone to his mouth. "Attention, May I have everyone's attention. This is Dr. Watts speaking, a highly valuable specimen has broken out of containment. For the safety of the staff and the specimen I hereby order an immediate evacuation and lockdown Sector Eight Subsection "C" through "D". You will be allowed back inside once the Containment Team succeeds in securing the specimen."

* * *

The Dorm rooms at Beacon were not what anyone would call luxurious but they were cozy. This unbeknownst to most students and alumni is that the coziness of the was a design choice by the Headmaster when the Academy was first built. The general idea was two-fold with the first goal being to force members of the same team to interact with each other daily thus the trainees for the mutual communication and cooperation that all professional Huntsmen were expected to do in the field. The second reason was to give the trainees a small but ever-present reminder of why they were fighting and risking their lives.

Jaune did not feel any of that. Right now sitting in the dorm room with Pyrrha he felt more like an animal trapped in a cage. The worst part of it all was that he knew just how ridiculous this feeling was but, he couldn't help but feel this way. Grimm thrived on negativity and as a Pseudo-Grimm, any negative emotions were pushed to the front and to a small degree, amplified. What should have been simple shyness and nervousness had bloomed into fear and stress which was beginning to grind on his Flight or Fight instincts.

Sensing what was going on Pyrrha walked over to the bed that Jaune was sitting on and sat right next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jaune, it's okay. You can tell me."

He didn't want to lie to her but there was no way that she would ever understand or even believe him, he had no choice. So with some hesitation, he spoke "Do you remember initiation? Do you remember what was happening when you found me?"

"I don't think I could ever forget that," Pyrrha said. My nightmares won't let me forget.

Jaune mulled over for a bit trying to figure out the right way to say it, trying to figure out how to best lie to her "It's my Semblance."

So, Ruby was right… Pyrrha thought to herself

"My Semblance is an… unpleasant one." Jaune then remembered what Ozpin told him about the berserkers of old. "It makes me stronger, more focused, it keeps me from getting tired, it heals me and it numbs all pain."

"Wow… many would kill for a Semblance that does all of that." Pyrrha then realized what she had just said "Jaune I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sound insensitive!"

"It's okay and you're right, the first half of my semblance is incredible."

"First half?"

"Pyrrha, my aura doesn't protect me."

"What!? But that's impossible! Unless… unless your aura can't be used for defense because it's being used for something else."

"I can't use it for defense because it's the fuel for my regeneration and it gets worse, my Semblance is triggered by my emotional state so if I am stressed-"

"It feeds off of your stress which in turn makes you more stressed because now your body thinks it's in a fight."

"You got it."

Pyrrha mulled over this new information taking time to consider all of its implications. I've never heard of a Semblance like this though it would explain everythi-... almost everything. I still don't have an answer for his eyes or his blood. But does that matter? She looked at him again and saw him for what he really was: A scared Young Man. Opening up to me like this must have been difficult for him. I need to help him! But how… wait I know-how!

"Jaune, I'm going to help you."

"How? How could you possibly help me?"

"Ren's Semblance mutes emotions, Nora can help you learn how to better control your strength and I'll teach you how to properly use your weapon and your armor. Please, let us help you."

Jaune could see the concern written all over Pyrrha's face and he could feel the fear emanating from her. Though she wasn't afraid of him or afraid for him, she was afraid that he would reject her offer and push her away. The messed up was that there was a part of him that wanted to do just that, to take her kind offer and throw it back in her face. However, a bigger, stronger and more intelligent part of him was relieved and overjoyed that she wanted to help and more importantly that she was someone that could actually help. He didn't even try to hide the tears of joy that were beginning to form.

"Pyrrha, thank you."

* * *

There was a nervous feeling in the air and every member of Team RWBY could feel it. They tried to ignore it by quietly sitting in their dorm room each minding their own business, but that only made things worse. Ruby watched as Weiss and Blake sat on opposite sides of the room, both wearing headphones and both doing their homework and both doing their damnedest to ignore the other one. Ruby could feel the beginning of a rift forming No, this isn't something new. Blake has always been treating Weiss a little colder and harsher than everyone else but why?

Yang could see her little sister racking her brain trying to figure out a solution, trying to find a way to end the squabble before it can become anything bigger. So she scooted over to her little sis and began to whisper "It's not your fault, there was no way you could have stopped this."

When Ruby turned to face her sister she had a look of hurt that Yang was not prepared for and it took all of her strength not to immediately apologize and drop the conversation. She needs to hear this, not telling her would hurt her more, in the long run, Yang reminded herself and kept whispering. "Ruby, there was no way you could have known about this sore spot."

"But, I did know! Yang, I met the two of them before initiation and they clashed back then as well and now they are doing it again and going to keep doing it and I have no idea what to do!"

"Would you two please keep it down! I'm trying to study!" Weiss went back to her homework.

The pair waited for a bit, watching as Weiss continued with her work and waiting for the Heiress to return to a more relaxed position before continuing their conversation. "Ruby, you didn't know that they would be your teammates, you didn't know that they would keep going at each other's throats."

"But what am I supposed to do? How do I fix this?"

"You can't fix someone else's mess."

"Then what can I do Yang? What am I supposed to do?"

"Tomorrow after Class let's do what that guy in the cafeteria suggested and talk to Oobleck and even Gris if we have the time."

"Fine, It's just… I don't know, I feel-"

"Powerless?"

"Not powerless. Lost and just a little powerless, like… this is all a mistake. That making me the leader was a mistake."

Yang pulled her sister in for a hug "Every great leader has felt that way at some point or another and besides you said it yourself. It hasn't even been one semester yet, of course, there are going to be problems. But, you aren't waiting for things to get worse before asking for help and that puts you way ahead of the curve."

Unbeknownst to the sisters, Weiss had been listening in on their secret conversation and while she could not make everything they were saying out, she did understand enough to realize what they were talking about. It is for this reason that Weiss was feeling a measure of shame, she never meant to make Ruby feel this way and while she still believed the young girl had no right leading the team she had no right to make things unnecessarily hard for the young leader. I'm going to have a few words with Blake about this, I refuse to allow this team to fall apart just because of one… Weiss honestly didn't know what she thought of Blake but she knew that she would soon figure that out.

Blake had also overheard the sisters and had also heard Weiss telling them to keep it down, Honestly just how selfish could this Schnee be? Her mind wandered back to the cafeteria and she began to consider her word and actions, Maybe a could have worded things in a friendlier way, dad was always good at making a point without coming across as confrontational but… everything is clearer in hindsight and the fact was her father despite everything he did still made enemies and more importantly: He failed to make any real difference. Maybe the problem was the time and place? But then again, would that have made any difference? We still would have argued and it might have even gone further. Maybe the real problem is because she is a Schnee. Blake winced a little at that thought, it felt hypocritical. However, it was a thought that refused to go away and only made more and more sense; it made the longer it dwelled on the Faunus' mind, which made her more and more uncomfortable.

* * *

The last clear thing she remembered was dying and before that, she remembered falling, convulsing and an eerie cold encapsulating her as she felt her body shut down. Everything after that was far harder to make out, it almost felt like she was trying to remember a dream that had already started to fade from memory. Though there were a few moments of clarity, without any context she had no idea what any of it meant.

She remembers a familiar forest and wandering through that forest though she did not know why she was even in that forest, to begin with. She also remembers something else… something that she was chasing but could never catch, it made such a funny sound as it ran. The best part was that even if she lost sight of one another one would always appear sooner or later. Then most of the peculiar things happened, two more of those… things appeared, but they didn't run and they didn't make that funny sound. Instead, they came to her and then something struck her. It was small, fast and it pierced her skin but it did not hurt. Rather it just made her feel sleepy.

Then she somehow ended inside of an empty room, she remembers being stuck in that room until she somehow got out. Or did something let her out? She wasn't completely sure, though one thing was crystal clear despite the heavy fog shrouding her thoughts: This is the strangest dream I ever had, and she wanted to find out what would happen next.

* * *

The subject escaping from her restraints was not an accident, it was the experiment. A test to see how a woman who was well past her prime and who had never once been in a fight would handle a combat situation against multiple armed and armored opponents. She, however, was not powerless, physically empowered and mentally diminished by Merlot's serum which had been further tweaked and improved by Dr. Watts with the aid of Salem herself. This elderly Faunus was now the true first of a new Potential Breed: A True Grimm Hybrid. But, was that a good thing? Were Hybrids worth perfecting and creating or was Merlot wasting time? That was what the experiment was going to reveal.

"This is Team Gamma reporting in, we have eyes on the target."

Dr. Watts was shocked but he hid it well, Contact wasn't supposed to be made for another seven minutes! What are those fools doing, how did they even get there? He took his eyes off of the subject and began looking for an answer on the monitors but he stopped himself, Calm yourself down. This changes absolutely nothing.

"This is Team Gamma, the subject was unresponsive to both verbal and nonverbal commands. Requesting permission to tranquilize"

Arthur Watts was not an excitable man but, right now his heart was pounding in his chest and an almost childish smile was stretched across his face as he pulled the Microphone to close to his mouth, "Permission granted."

*Knock* *Knock*

"Dr. Watts? Are you in there? Dr. Watts, we need to evacuate!"

The Doctor scanned the monitors till he found the camera watching the hallway just outside of the room he had locked him in, trying to reach him were some members of the research team though he couldn't tell which ones in particular. Over and over again did they bang on the door acting like they truly cared for his safety when it was blatantly clear to anyone with a modicum of common sense that this was an utterly pathetic attempt at an intervention. Did I hire fools? Did they think that they could trick me with a false Evacuation order? Do they really think I'm stupid enough to let them in and confront me? Well, good luck breaking down that door. Though there was a part of Watt's that wanted to let them in, not to talk but rather to silence them once and for all with his own two hands. It was barbaric and yet it was also a rather tempting thought, not to mention everyone working was going to terminate by the end of the day. What did it matter if a few of them died a little earlier and at someone else's hand? Not to mention there were many many benefits of physical exertion, relaxing his brain a bit could lead to a breakthrough down the line and so Watts checked his watch and decided that if they were still there by the time his extraction team arrives, well they would get their "Talk."

* * *

Cardin's mace whistled through the air as it flew towards Jaune's unprotected head. The blond was able to duck under that wrecking ball which continued its deadly arc and embedded itself in the floor of Professor Goodwitch's combat class, Jaune seeing a golden opportunity stepped into Cardin's personal space rammed shoulder first into the bully forcing the man to take few steps back and more importantly leaving himself completely open. This was his chance to strike back and Juane's first thought was to attempt a stab into Cardin's exposed chest but he quickly changed his mind, Cardin's armor would just reduce how much aura he'd need to protect himself. So, do I try and get his arms or his legs instead. Wait! Why is Cardin smiling?

*BOOM*

Jaune was launched forward and flew right past the bully who had been ready for the blast. Just rub salt in the wound, Cardin was now laughing and laughing hard especially as the hapless Wanna-Be-Knight landed face-first breaking his nose. Jaune quickly recovered and pulled himself up while turning around to face his opponent who had stopped laughing and was now watching with curiosity and mild disgust as the broken nose realigned itself.

"Holy shit, your Semblance is self-healing? Talk about useless! Though I guess that just makes sense that a worthless loser that needed to be protected would also have an equally worthless Semblance."

"Was that your Semblance just then? Can you trigger explosions?" asked Jaune in an attempt to change the subject.

Holding the mace up Cardin couldn't help but chuckle, "Oh you would love it if that was the case. But you're not that lucky Jauny boy."

"It's the crystal on his mace! It's a shard of fire dust!" Ruby called from the stands.

"Huh, I knew that girl was a dweeb but come on. Though it's not like knowing that bit of info is going to help you at all." Cardin then dashed forward holding the mace-like it was some sort of baseball bat, fully intent on ending this farce of fight with his next blow.

Calm down Jaune calm down. Unfortunately for the young knight this turned out to be a near-impossible task as his condition was feeding his Fight or Flight response and kicking it into overdrive making thinking of any true strategy a futile endeavor and as a testament to that, Jaune charged right at Cardin which took the bully by complete surprise, however instead of backing down Cardin reveled in the challenged and chose to meet Jaune's charge resulting in a thunderous impact has the two combatants now found themselves weapon locked and attempting to overpower the other one to break the stalemate they now found themselves in..

"Kick his Ass Jaune!"

"Crush that Wimp!"

"Don't give an inch!"

Cardin was shocked by Jaune's strength which was far far greater than what his stature would suggest however and Cardin began to find himself being pushed back a step. However the Brute was not so easily overcome and quickly regathered his senses and began to run through a mental list of options, I could overpower this loser but that would just drag this fight out maybe I could redirect his force or perhaps I should let him push me a little further back and bait him into a counter-attack. Huh? That's weird, were Jaune eyes always copper? I guess he just has something in common with that blond bimbo.

Had Jaune been more observant he might have noticed that something was very wrong with the way he was pushing Cardin back, he would have questioned how he had been able to overpower someone who was not only physically bigger and stronger but had been trained to properly utilize both strength and height. If Jaune had better control over his emotions he might have been able to keep a cooler head instead of letting the heat of battle trigger his condition and cloud his judgment he could have noticed the way Cardin had been slowly shifting his feet, his body and the way he was holding his mace. He might have been ready when Cardin suddenly stepped back and to the side letting Jaune slip right past him and before the wanna-be knight could regain his bearings and turn around, Cardin's mace slammed right into Jaune's unprotected back sending the poor boy sliding right across the arena and breaking his back with an utterly sickening-

*CRACK*

Shock, Horror and worst of all Silence filled the stands as everyone stood dumbfounded and utterly aghast at Jaune's broken body and the sheer brutality of Cardin's final attack. Even the bully was staring with fear at the results of his handy work. As for Ruby, Pyrrha, Weiss and Professor Goodwtich who knew about Jaune's regeneration, they were fearfully waiting for what they knew was going to be haunting their nightmares and they were right.

Cracking, Snaping, Twisting and the Screaming echoed throughout the classroom as every bone in Jaune's back pulled itself back together. Most turned away and covered their ears trying their best not to acknowledge what was going on in front of them. Professor Goodwitch was clenching her hands so hard that not only were they shaking but she would also have been bleeding if it wasn't for the reflexive use of her aura preventing the damage. Meanwhile, Winchester himself felt all the strength that he was so proud of just leaving his body starting with the hand that was holding his mace which dropped to the floor when it became too heavy for him to hold, then his legs followed suit and he fell to the floor. Then it stopped. The Screaming, the Snapping, The Cracking everything just stopped and Jaune collapsed on the floor laying perfectly still.

Cardin couldn't believe it, he had just killed someone. Oh, Sweet Oum no no no no no no no no please let this just be a sick nightmare! I didn't want to kill the guy, I just wanted to expose him! Was that wrong? It's over… my life is over. For some reason that he himself could not explain the bully crawled over to where his foe laid and saw to his great relief that Jaune's chest was moving up and down. "He's alive, He's Alive! Oh, thank Oum he's alive!" There was an almost audible sigh of relief in the entirety of the arena. Then Jaune's eyes opened and his first flew right into Cardin's nose, knocking the bully away from himself.

"Gaaaah, do you have any Fucking idea how much that hurt! Do you think for one Fucking Moment that I asked for this? But, guess what asshole! I'm here anyway!" That felt good, it felt so good to get that crap off of his chest. Jaune could even feel his condition beginning to subside just a little, Huh? Well, that's something I'm going to need to explore later. But right now I have a match to win. Looking right at Cardin who was still on the floor in surprise, Jaune began to walk towards his sword fully intent on repaying the bully.

"Mr. Arc, if you are feeling better, could you and Mr. Winchester please leave the arena. Your match ended when Mr. Winchester broke your back. I would also suggest that you visit Dr. Gris as soon as you're done." Professor Goodwtich's voice made it extremely clear that this was not a suggestion.

Jaune still very much wanted to repay Cardin for every single bone in his spine that had fractured and shattered thanks to that blow but thankfully logic and reasoning was able to win the are against his more primal desires and so he obediently went to grab his weapons from the arena floor and a still shocked and very much confused Cardin followed after him. As they are cleaning up after themselves the Professor broke down what they did wrong.

"Mr. Arc, your form was far too stiff, awkward and far too basic. It is important to adjust the way you stand, the way you move and the way you approach situations according to whatever you are facing. Furthermore trying to overpower Mr. Winchester is what opened you up to being countered like that. Next time keep a cooler head and remain flexible in your approach. A good example was when you shoulder checked him, that was an excellent way to create an opening. However, you hesitated and judging from where you were looking I would guess that you were wondering how to handle his armor."

"Yeaaaah," He confessed.

"A good rule of thumb is to aim where there is no armor, furthermore remember that while Aura prevents the damage it doesn't prevent any knockback or the consequences of said knockback. So you could have also gone to a stunning blow. That is all Mr. Arc, Miss Nikos could you please escort him to Dr. Gris?" She then turned her attention to Cardin who while still shaken had already made it back to the stands. "Mr. Winchester first off I must congratulate you on your use of the Fire Shard, I can only imagine how long it took you to practice the timing for that. However, I must also caution you not to rely on such a trick. Moves like that only work on people who don't know what to expect. Furthermore, choosing to try and overpower Jaune was foolhardy, after all, what if he had a trick prepared for that exact situation? That will be all Mr. Winchester." She watched as the young man made his way back to his friends. "Alright, everyone now that the show is over can I please have Mr. Zaure and Miss. Chandlea come down to the arena?"

Looking at Glynda's face you could be led to believe that she was truly unfeeling and after what happened with Jaune many of the students in her class had come to that conclusion. However, if you were to take a closer look and knew the signs to watch out for you would find that the opposite was true. Glynda had been disturbed by what she had seen, it took all of her strength not to run into the arena and stop everything when she saw and heard Jaune's back break. This wasn't what she signed up for, everything she did she did for the youth. She stayed in Beacon working with Ozpin because she wanted every single one of her students to be able to live to Retirement to grow old and die a natural peaceful death surrounded by their families and the people they saved. She supported Ozpin even when she did not understand him because she believed that one day, one glorious day would come either in her lifetime or another where Huntsmen would be no longer needed because the Grimm would be no more.

But, this. This was just torture for the sake of spreading a Lie. A necessary Lie but there were so many other ways they could have done this. It didn't have to be like this, there was no reason why they couldn't just hold a special class. Glynda Goodwitch was going to be having a few words with Beacon esteemed Head Master.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** My Little "Experiment," involved going back to the lab after every single scene change. What I was hoping for was to create a sense of rising dread and unease through the clashing scenes. What I got instead was a confusing mess that needed to be untangled and scenes needed to be rewritten to make sense of what was going on. Still, though, I don't regret it. Like I said at the beginning, I'm doing this to improve my overall writing and storytelling ability starting with a Genre I've never written for in the past. Experimentation is a must.


	12. Chapter 12

"This is Team Gamma, the subject was unresponsive to both verbal and nonverbal commands. Requesting permission to tranquilize."

"Permission Granted."

Without any words needing to be spoken one of the members of the team raised his dart gun and fired a single dart containing a powerful sedative that could knock out a huntsman in seconds, assuming you could get past the aura. But, this woman was no huntsman and was so clearly disoriented that in all honesty wouldn't have mattered if she was a huntsman. The dart impacted her backside and she in response began to turn around to face them and even began to walk over to where they were standing.

"All right she's going to pass out soon, Charlie I want you to get ready to grab her."

"Yes, Sir!" The Guard put away his dart gun and began making his way over to meet the woman while the other kept their dart guns trained on her. He slowly approached her with his arms outstretched, coming close but never touching her, instead carefully observing her movements waiting for any sign of about to pass out.

"Is it just me or isn't taking an awful while for the drug to kick in?" One of the guards wondered out loud.

"What do you expect Red? You know how those Faunus are like, Freaks all of them!" The other guards nodded in agreement.

"Hey, Charlie! Make sure you don't get any fleas from her!"

She took another step in their general direction and then suddenly lurched to the side towards the guard sent to catch her when she fell and to his credit he was there with his arms already stretched out to grab her. By then it was too late, he had no time to react. Whether it was all an act to bring them closer or if she really did and just managed to catch herself isn't important what mattered is that she used the momentum from her near fall to propel her forehead into his face.

Charlie fell over screaming and clenching his face as two of his colleagues rushed over to his side while two more attempted to restrain the Subject as the captain pulled an even stronger tranquilizer dart and prepared to shoot her.

"Dear Oum," The guard named Red declared upon seeing Charlie's face. The protective eyewear that all of the guards wear had been shattered with the lens shards now embedded into the poor man's face, destroying one eye and severely damaging the other. Furthermore, his nose was broken and twisted in such a way that surgery was necessary if he was to ever breathe through his noses ever again. But, all of them did not hold a candle to the fact that Charle's face had caved in right where she had hit him. How is Charlie still alive? How on Remnant did that bitch get the strength to do this to him and what about her? How is that Animal okay?

The Second guard grabbed his radio upon seeing Charlie's face "Medic! We need a Medic right now! We have a man critically injured in Sector Eight, Subsection C! Get here ASAP!" Once he was done he turned to his still shocked Colleague and grabbed him "Red, snap out of it!"

The Captain of Team Gamma was about to shoot the subject when he saw her eyes and noticed that they had changed, a common misconception amongst citizens was that the Grimm had red eyes. The Grimm in actuality had what he was looking at right now: Red Sclera surrounding an Iris that was bright and burning just like a raging fire, bright and vivid and yet somehow completely soulless but not without emotion, blazing with nothing but pure hatred for all of humanity for the crime of existing. And right now those eyes were looking right at him.

"What are you waiting for! Tranq her Sir!"

Snapping out of it he fired the dart right into her chest and loaded another dart while waiting for the drugs to take effect and it looked like he wouldn't have to wait long. Already her eyes were beginning to close and her struggles grew less and less. Very slowly and with extreme caution along with the ever-watchful eyes of their captain did they begin to lower her to the floor. Only once she was down on the floor did they finally let go of her to retrieve some cuffs.

Then her eyes snapped open, the fire blazing ever brighter and now with the addition of Black Veins spreading from her eyes to the rest of her face. The Captain fired off another shot that hit her right in the neck but he couldn't stop her from using her now free hand to strike the leg of the nearest guard who went down screaming as he clutched his broken and bleeding leg. The other guard had been standing next to her had no time to react as she tackled him to the floor. He desperately tried to push her off as her finger now an unnatural shade of midnight plunged into his gut staining her elongated bony white nails red with his blood. The last thing he saw was his captain trying in vain to beat the woman off of him while the other two rushed to assist him.

* * *

Dr. Watts was ecstatic as he gleefully watched the Subject make short work of the remainder of Team Gamma. Every second of the slaughter had been recorded from multiple angles with detailed notes of his observations that only promised to expand with every single rewatch. Even better, team Alpha would soon arrive onto the scene escorting the medics, but they were not going to try and capture the subject. No, they were coming to kill her and Dr. Watts couldn't be more thrilled.

"Watts! We know you're in there! Come out, you Coward!"

So, they finally realized just how pathetic their deception was? Checking the hallway camera once more Dr. Watts noted that the crowd had grown and it wasn't just the lab techs anymore. Some of the security forces seemly chose to abandon their mission to capture the Subject in favor of arresting him instead. Fools, do they think that they can somehow save themselves by turning me over authorities? Even if they somehow managed to catch me, they would only find themselves being escorted to prison as I walk free but, it would be difficult to continue research in Atlas if word got out of what is being done here.

"This Alpha Team! We have eyes on the target! Proceeding to exterminate!"

Dr. Watts turned back to monitors just in time to see the Subject be shot multiple times but, she did not fall. Instead, she ignored the bullets burying themselves into her chest and in response, her jaws opened so widely that her cheeks began to tear apart resulting in a Glasgow grin and then she let out a loud shrilling roar before charging in to slaughter some more. To their credit the security team and even the medics did not falter against her, instead, they stood their ground and continued to shoot away at her as the medics used their radios to try calling in for some more support.

Now Dr. Watts was getting a bit nervous, the Subject's aura had yet to return to her and while combat was advancing her Grimmification there was a limit to how far it would go. There was a limit to how many she could face without the protection of her aura and he feared that a well-prepared security team might prove too much. It was the idea of Aura shielded Grimm that convinced Salem to even try the task of completing the late Dr. Merolots research if the Subject died then the project would likely die with her. Then there was the issue of her mind or rather her seeming lack of one, maybe just maybe the two were connected. "That boy Jaune still possessed all of his reasoning and even personality and all he has is what Merlot labeled a failed prototype… though maybe that's why. Maybe Merlot's goal wasn't hybridization but rather full conversion. That would explain why that particular batch was labeled a failure."

"Dr. Watts we are going to breach the door in ten seconds! Get on the floor and put your hands behind your head or you will be treated as a hostile. This is your last warning!"

And suddenly he had an idea, a way to keep the Subject from being overwhelmed too quickly by security. He got off of the chair and threw off his lab coat and began looking around for anything he could use as a weapon and spotted a simple baton that had been carelessly left on a desk. It wasn't his weapon of choice but Dr. Watts was still a Huntsman and the fools breaking in: Were dead.

* * *

It hurt, the black eye that Glynda gave him still hurt and in many ways Ozpin was grateful. He is grateful to Glynda for punching him as she did for what happened to Jaune during her combat class, it was a reminder that he could always trust her to hold him back from doing something truly regrettable and that she would call him out when he screwed up. Admittedly he did wish that she waited till after he met with his inner circle rather than before, but what has been done can't be taken back.

"Ozpin, we are ready," Glynda spoke with an edge of justified anger still in her voice.

"Very well then, let's begin." Ozpin sat down at his desk and Glynda also took a seat as the lights in his office dimed, the window shades descended and several TV monitors descended from the ceiling. One by one the monitors turned on revealing the faces of General James Ironwood, Qrow Branwen and Headmaster Leonardo Lionheart all who noticed the Ozpin black eye, Glynda's upset mood and we're all far too smart to ask any questions.

"I see that Dr. Gris isn't present," commented Ironwood.

"He is currently busy with making sure that Mr. Arc has properly recovered from his first match in Glynda's class," Ozpin answered.

Shock and concern ran across the faces of Ironwood, Lionheart, and Qrow. Then those emotions were replaced with a new one: Ironwood looked at Ozpin and Glynda with disappointment and was joined by Qrow who was pissed. As for Lionheart, it was fear and worry that was on full display.

"What the Hell OZ!, The kid isn't ready to face off against the others! Not to mention you'll mess up all of the other kids when they see a fellow student get mangled!" Qrow bellowed.

"I must agree with Mr. Branwen. Ozpin, Glynda I expected so much better of you both. This is nothing but short-sighted and cruel, Explain yourselves!" demanded Ironwood!

"You, Tell them, Jimmy!" Qrow cheered.

"Enough already!" Glynda with a crack of her riding crop gained the attention of all. "Look I agree wholeheartedly that we had him fight far too soon. However! There were already rumors spreading about him, disbelief about whether his supposed regeneration was true or not and when we consider how stress and negativity affect the boy. As much as I am loathed to say this," She paused for a moment, the words feeling like dirt in her mouth "This was something that needed to happen sooner or later. Now the rumors will end and Mr. Arc could very well find himself the recipient of some much-needed sympathy."

The point was made and understood, as much as they hated the thought of subjecting Jaune to what was certainly a painful and humiliating experience, not doing it would have been far worse in the long run. Either way, it was already done and quite frankly the meeting was not about the boy.

"Well, I suppose that now would be a good time to get the most important thing out of the way. Glynda, will the boy be a danger to the competitors and audience of the Vytal Festival?" Ironwood asked.

"No, Mr. Arc himself will not pose a danger to anyone at the festival even at his worst it seems that he can still control himself to a certain degree. However, due to his faulty Aura and the gruesome nature of his regeneration he cannot be allowed to compete." She answered while Ozpin grimly approved.

"I'm sorry but isn't he a member of Pyrrha's team? The people of Minstrel would be very much disappointed if she wasn't allowed to compete due to his problems." Lionheart nervously shrank back when he saw how Glynda was not looking at him with fury and even Ozpin seemed to be somewhat upset. "What? What did I say?" The only answer he got was silence.

"Weeeell, that's not surprising," and in a moment Qrow destroyed the silence. "Fact it would be weirder and just plain stupid to let em participate. I mean can you imagine how the public would react once they saw him beginning to regenerate? Panic, that's what. But, you know Leo. Jaune is still a student and we as teachers have a responsibility to make sure that our students can and will thrive, all of our students."

"So um, when can we expect the video of his match?" asked Ironwood who now wanted to stop wasting time and get on with the meeting.

"You should all be receiving the video as this meeting proceeds, though It might take longer for you Qrow since you're currently far away from any of the CCT," Ozpin answered. He took a breath and continued, "But enough about Mr. Arc. Let's get to the real point of this meeting. Salem is planning something and I have to assume that the goal is the Fall Maiden."

"Do you have a successor chosen?" Asked Ironwood.

"Not yet, it's far too soon to choose but we are watching."

"Well, does it have to be someone from Beacon?" Asked Leo.

"While Ozpin and I would like that to be the case, No. The maiden can be from any of the schools," Glynda answered.

"Well, in that case, I have some students that you might want to take a good look at!" Leo spoke with an outward smile but inside… he wanted to cry. I am sorry, I'm so sorry but you brought this on yourself. Everything that's going to happen is because of you my old friend.

* * *

"What do you mean he's alright? That bastard broke his spine! How can you tell Jaune to just walk it off!" Pyrrha angrily shouted at Dr. Gris while a nervous Nora and seemingly unemotional Ren stood to the side and watched. Jaune himself was lying comfortably on one of the beds in the medical ward smiling as he watched his captain argue with the asshole.

"You done?" Dr. Gris asked, completely unaffected by Pyrrha's outburst and instead just continuing his work not even looking at the champion. "First off could you not shout? Youse is in a medical bay after all." Pyrrha suddenly became very self-aware of just where she was and on reflection started scanning the room for any other patients but there was only Jaune.

"There's no one else here besides us!"

"Does it matta? Had there been someone else ere youse shouting could ave been detrimental to their recovery" He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Look, Kid, I like how concerned youse is fer ya boy toy. It really warms my heart to see youse and the others care for em. But he's fine, don't youse remember when ya first meet em?"

Nora and Ren moved just a little closer, the pair heard rumors about Initiation but they weren't there when Pyrrha and Jaune became partners, after Glynda's class they along with everyone else in the class now wondered just how much was true. Looking at their teammates Ren and Nora took notice of the remorse that was in Pyrrha's eyes and the way she flinched when the doctor brought it up, they also noticed how Jaune looked down and away from Pyrrha.

"I know that Jaune can handle worse. I'm all too aware of just how much his Berserker can handle. But, that doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't care about his well being!" She declared.

"Young lady... wat da fuck did I just say about shouting in here?" and with that Pyrrha, Ren and Nora were shooed out of the room by an angry and yet somewhat amused Dr. Gris who returned to his work as soon as they were gone. "Ya got some good pals with ya, Jaune. Don't push em away."

* * *

Pyrrha was furious, she was fuming, Buring, FRothing, She was Absolutely LIVI-

"Weeeeeeell it is kind of your fault Fearless Leader! I mean shouting at a hospital that's kinds of Ruuude!" Nora interrupted.

"It was a medical Bay, not a hospital," Ren dryly corrected.

"What!?" Nora was sincerely surprised, "But, how can that be? Isn't this supposed to be Beacon!? Isn't this place supposed to have the best everything ever!? Beacon would have a hospital, they would have the best hospital but, maybe this isn't Beacon! Maybe we were tricked to come to another school entirely! Or maybe we're the ones who screwed up! Maybe we all accidentally applied to Bacon Academy! Such a Greasy Comedy of Errors!"

"Maybe they have the best Medical Bay," Ren suggested.

"Well, that makes sense."

Pyrrha was confused it wasn't the conversation that she just overheard that had her vexed but, rather it was her feelings. I don't feel angry anymore, at least not at Dr. Gris. But I feel… no, rather a part of me wants to be mad at Nora. But, I'm not-

"Have ya calmed down yet fearless leader?" Nora innocently asked.

"You, you were putting on an act for me? To calm me down?" Pyrrha any confusion she felt was immediately wiped clean by a wave of sincere gratitude for Nora and Ren.

"So what's the plan?" asked Ren.

"Ya so, how are we gonna help Jaune?" Nora added.

"Huh!?" I know I promised Jaune that Ren and Nora would help but I hadn't asked them yet and here they are just offering to help on their own. Despite what they saw, they already want to help. "Well, I was planning to help Jaune with the basics, Nora, you can help him with strength and Ren can teach him meditation."

"Is Jaune alright!?"

Asked Ruby who seemed to have come from seemingly nowhere.

"Wow! Where did you come from!" asked a rather impressed Nora.

"I used my Semblance to get here as soon as possible, the rest of my team is coming too but I just had to know! Pyrrha is he okay?"

"He's fine. The doctor just wants to keep for a bit longer to be safe." Pyrrha was touched by Ruby's concern but, she was also worried. If the rest of her team is coming then that would mean that Weiss is coming as well. She never forgot just how hostile Weiss had been back at initiation, though that was also something she could forgive. She held no grudge against the heiress for accusing her of potentially murdering Jaune, That was my fault for throwing my javelin at him. Nor did she hold a grudge for how Weiss insisted on Jaune having to drop out or her caution whenever he was around, That just common sense. But, after initiation… that she could not forgive.

Sure Weiss tried to hide the fear and caution she still held for Jaune but, people noticed. Of course, they were going to notice, Weiss was a Schnee and on top of that, she had a rather successful stint in the music industry. She was a minor celebrity and her actions around Jaune were noticed by the others and while Pyrrha didn't think that Weiss was solely responsible for the rumors, she most certainly played a significant role in it. But, then again… am I being unfair? It is not like she could control how others would react…

"Pyrrha! Earth to Pyrrha Helllllo!"

Brought back to reality, Pyrrha turned to the amused Nora, "I'm sorry did I-"

"Space out again? Yeah! Not gonna lie if someone told that the invincible Girl was prone to spacing out! I'd...," Nora, to everyone's surprise, seemed to be thinking over her scenario. "I'd believe them."

"I agree. Huntsmen, celebrities and even heiresses-" Ren saw the surprised look of Pyrrha's and Ruby's face, So, the rumors of a rift between these two and Weiss seems to be true. Ruby did say that her team was coming, this could be a good moment for them to clear things up between everyone. "-They are still just people at the end of the day. We all have flaws and make mistakes, the key thing is learning and moving past them."

"Ruby Rose, do you want to get us in trouble? Seriously using your semblance in the hallway? Jaune isn't going anywhere! Just walk like everyone else!" It was Weiss and right behind her was an amused Yang and standing a bit away was the stoic Blake.

"So, How's Vomit Boy?"

* * *

"What!?"

"There is a horde of Grimm coming to this Lab and in thirty minutes escape will become impossible but, as long as you leave before then I can assure you that no harm will come to you," the stranger replied.

The gate guards were not sure how to proceed, on one hand, was the obvious answer which was to turn this weirdo away and continue however there were a few problems with that. One was the fact that the lab was an unofficial and unsanctioned base located in a "Dark Zone," so how did this guy find them? The second problem was the man himself. He carried no weapons, but his eyes were that of a warrior and his large frame suggested incredible physical strength plus there was the fact that he was undoubtedly a Huntsman which meant that he honestly needed no weapons to take them down. And then there was the third problem which was the strange eerie feeling that whatever going on in this lab was something that they wanted nothing to do with.

"I can see that you are considering your situation very carefully, I respect that. But once again, I ask you to remember what I have said, Grimm are coming and if you are still here when they arrive I can assure you that there will be no escape."

Finally, one of the Guards stepped up and asked the question that was on all of their minds, "Why? Why warn us?"

The stranger raised an eyebrow surprised and impressed by the question, "You were all hired for two reasons with the first being your qualifications but the second reason was far more important. You were all hired because you were no threat." Seeing the confused and slightly upset looks on their faces the stranger clarified. "No one would believe you if you tried to tell others what you have seen, even if someone was to trust your words we are more than capable of silencing you, all of you if we have to."

At his words, they became scared and began reaching for their weapons.

"This only means that we have no reason to kill you. Please, No one has to die today."

The Guards chose to pull the alarm before running and that was good. Soon they would not be the only ones running, that was even better. Sure some people would call them cowards but those people deserved to be called fools. Those fools did not understand how death worked, when you died it's your family and friends who have to learn how to carry on without you. They had to learn to be somehow comforted by the selfish and foolish bravery of a corpse.

Hazel Rainart was pleasantly surprised as he marched through the laboratory heading to the designated meeting place. The lab was mostly empty and the people that were there seemed to in the process of leaving, though he did make a note every single time he saw someone who was hurt and took notice of well how it seemed that most of injured were security guards but more importantly he saw that not every guard were injured to the same degree or even the same way.

Different breeds of Grimm cause different injuries and injuries caused by people look different as well, a Huntsman that learned to tell the difference was much harder to take by surprise. Some of the guards and even lab techs were injured but it was at the hands of a person rather than a Grimm.

Then he found the room where he was supposed to meet Arthur Watts and saw to his displeasure some corpses on the floor just outside of the door and inside the room, he found the Doctor at least some of his questions were answered without him having to ask anything. Arthur was hurt but only by a little and there was blood on him but it wasn't his, he had been fighting.

"Before you start Hazel, I would like to say that I only did what I had to do to ensure the success of the project and that I would have never needed to do it if they hadn't escalated the situation."

"And the woman?"

"You mean the Subject I assume, well take a look for yourself." Arthur pointed to one on the monitors and Hazel did indeed take a look at her. He didn't like what he saw.

"If the monster you have turned her into was your goal, then congratulations. You have wasted everyone's time."

"Of course not. If all Salem wanted to be an agent of terror then the Grimm are more than enough and as long as that foolish girl doesn't screw up we'll eventually have the White Fang in Salem's employ as well. No Hazel, this isn't about creating a monster."

"Then what's the goal?"

"What I'm doing is surpassing one of my idols by finishing what he started and taking in a direction that he could never imagine." Arthur saw the look on Hazel's face, it was a pure disappointment and that pissed him off. So he pointed back at the monitor "What you are looking at is an incomplete project, she still does not have full access to her Aura and the less said about her mind the better. But I'm close!" Dr. Watts began to pace around the room, "I believe that the two issues are connected, that I can solve the Aura by somehow fixing her mind, but Merlot's original formula was never intended to create Hybrids!"

"Then what was his goal?"

"That Blasted Short-Sighted and Brilliant Fool wanted Grimm! He wanted to turn people into pure Grimm, thank the Brothers that he was clueless about Salem or the true nature of the Grimm. Hazel, what I'm trying to make will change everything! People will no longer have to fear the Grimm because the Grimm will think of us as one of them! Behold!" Watts pointed to another monitor and Hazel looked.

The Grimm were inside the thankfully nearly abandoned lab and they already found the Subject and remarkably they were ignoring her completely. Hazel could now see it, a brave new world where settlements wouldn't go missing, where parents safely returned home from work, where children wouldn't be turned into weapons and where no one else would be made into a glorified speed bump at the request of an indifferent old man. It was so beautiful and it felt so painfully close, they just needed to reach out and create it and the Hybrids were the key.

"The First Step of Creation is Destruction."

* * *

 **Author's Notes** : While the classic Saturday Morning style of Cartoon villainy will always be my favorite, the Villian with a Point is a very close second. However, they are extremely difficult to pull off, but if I can succeed then my writing will improve and if I fail... I can learn from my failures.


	13. Chapter 13

*THWACK*

Roman Torchwick's cane slammed into the counter with force, not enough to damage the counter but enough to make him the center of attention within the Dust Shop, with an air of practiced flamboyance the Thief addressed the store employees now staring right at him and the hooded and masked individuals behind him, "It is my pleasure to inform all of you that this is a robbery, however, I do have good news." He began walking around the store while twirling his cane, "We don't want your money, just your insured Dust. As long as no one tries to be a hero, no one will be hurt or harassed. So allow me to thank you all ahead of time for your delightful company and your much-appreciated cooperation." Torchwick then motioned to his fellow thieves who got right to work and before long the Prince of Crime and his Cohorts exited the store carrying bags full of Dust which they loaded into a van parked right outside next to several other identical vans. Once that was done, Torchwick walked over to the driver of "Remember the route I showed you?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Excellent! Then get on your way and be careful! That Dust is worth more than all of you animals put together!" Roman then walked away ignoring the curse that the Faunus muttered under his breath as he drove away. Instead, the Thief turned his attention to the rest of his motley crew and directed them to get into the remaining vans, "Hurry Up! We got work to do and all night to do it!" With that Torchwick himself climbed into the last van and pulled out a cigar from his clean white and very expensive tailored coat and motioned to the driver to light it for him. Once that was done he took a nice long drag before looking at the city through the window of the moving van and muttering to himself, "That bitch better be grateful for everything I'm doing."

* * *

She wasn't.

No, Cinder Fall as she walked through the warehouse stocked full of stolen dust and busy White Fang was not at all impressed by the fruit of Roman's work. "Is this all Roman?" She asked while walking around the room with the clicking of her heels starting to sound more and more like the ticking of a clock counting down to a horrid end for the narcissistic thief. But, NO! he wouldn't let her get to him, no he was going to the playing the long con here and no sultry vixen was ever going to get the drop on him! Roman-

"Torchwick." The Conman struggled to maintain his composer and laidback persona as she addressed him. "This is not nearly enough for the plan. You need to do better, much better."

Musterring his courage Roman answered back "Look, its not my fault that the first batch of men you set me up with were incompetent." Though I guess I can't fault them for getting their asses kicked by a Huntress in training.

"And I at considerable difficulty was able to replace them while not only increasing the quality but the quantity as well. So tell me, Roman, what's your excuse?" Cinder was now in full view and she was as stunning and just as dangerous. "So, tell Roman. Why despite all that has been given, you have yet to live up to both your reputation and own over-inflated ego?"

The Thief needed a cigar, a drink and someone, preferably Neo that he could vent too but no instead what he got was a bunch of animals and a bitch that could melt his face off. However, Cinder was not the first Femme Fatal that he has had to deal with, though she was easily the most dangerous. So he put on the cockiest smile he could muster up and turned to face her. "Cindy, let me explain how a heist like this works." He ignored the pissed off look she was giving him and continued his explanation, "You cannot hit every Dust one right after another without getting the cops and worse Huntsmen on your ass and in case you haven't noti-!"

*FWOOSH*

She was now holding up a hand engulfed in flames and was walking towards Torchwick, "Get to the point."

Okay, hotshot, let's turn down the sass before Cindy turns up the Heat. With that thought, Roman quickly regained his composer and continued his explanation, "The plan I'm using is both consistent and safe. I'll admit that it is somewhat slow but, it comes with a huge payoff!" He looked at Cinder waiting for her to acknowledge what he was saying, which she did with a nod and motioned for him to continue. "My sources have informed me that within the next week the Schnee Dust Company will be delivering a Massive shipment of dust to replenish what I have stolen."

"Dust that will no doubt be well protected so unless you plan on assaulting the guards, I do not see a plan."

Cinder was losing patience but where a lesser man would have panicked Roman continued ahead knowing that if he showed any hesitation she would take it as a sign of doubt, proof that he was all talk and that she might be better off with a replacement. But, didn't mean he wasn't at all nervous, no matter how arrogant Torchwick was he still knew how to identify and avoid trouble with someone out of his league. So after taking a deep calming breath he twirled his cane and with all the spazz of a natural showman answered Cinder's admittedly good question. "We won't have to fight anyone because there is going to be no guards."

"Explain yourself."

"With pleasure."

* * *

Blake did not hate or dislike her team with perhaps one exception. Despite what some might think she did not spend time in the library whenever possible, just to avoid having to deal with Weiss. The real reason she spent so much time in libraries was much simpler and innocent, they reminded her of home and the time she spent in her family's private library reading all the books it contained which sadly wasn't much. However the time she got to spend with her parents just quietly enjoying a book more than made up for any lack of selection and it was a pleasure she soon hoped to share with both her partner Yang and their leader Ruby, she just needed to find the right book.

"Oh, I didn't expect to find you here. Thought that you'd all be headed to the Forever Fall by now." Velvet spoke as she pulled up a chair, sat down and began to read.

"The Forever Fall?" Blake asked, trying to hide her apprehension from Velvet. The forest was the last place she saw Adam and even though she knew he wouldn't be there it didn't change the fact that it was a place that held memories for her. It was here she finally cut ties with an organization that she couldn't even recognize anymore; it was a moment that was ingrained into her memory as both a painful breakup and joyous liberation.

Had the second year simply looked up from the book she was reading she might have noticed the complicated and conflicting feelings on display right on Blake's face, but she kept on reading. "That's right, soon you first years are going to head into the forest to retrieve some sap for Professor Peach. You don't know her, she only teaches for the second to third years but that doesn't stop her from making requests from the first and fourth years, I honestly have no idea what she uses the sap for or why she needs so much." She shifted her position in the chair for one moment before turning to look at her fellow bibliophile. "Hey, can you reco- Blake? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, it's just… Weiss." She wasn't thinking about the Heiress but, she obviously could not tell her friend what was really on her mind, Sorry Vel but, I don't trust you enough for a secret like that at least not right now. "I'm worried about having to spend more time than necessary with the Schnee." Lying was something that had become second nature to the former agent of the White Fang and the venom in her voice as she spoke Weiss' name helped sell the lie.

"Oh, that's right. I suppose I can't blame you for wanting to avoid that mess but chin up, Yang is your partner, not Weiss. So when your assignment starts just make an excuse and separate from the rest of your team with your partner but, I hope you only do that as a last resort."

"Why?"

"Blake, you're in a very unique position in regards to Weiss and I know that you don't like her and I don't blame you, but maybe you could open her eyes. She's the Heiress, after all, maybe you could convince her to make changes."

"Why didn't you stop Cardin?"

"Why are you bringing that up?"

"You are a second-year student at an Academy for Huntsmen while Cardin was just a first-year, in his first-semester on-top of all that he is an average student at best. You could have taken him down easily, but you just stood there and let him walk all over you. Why?"

"I don't see how the two are connected but I'll answer your question with another one. What would I have accomplished by beating him up?" Velvet was getting very uncomfortable but, at the same time, she knew from the moment she and Blake started hanging out that this question would be brought up eventually.

"I didn't say beat him up, but you could have stood up to him. You could have made it clear that you would not allow yourself to be belittled and hurt just because he can't accept the idea that Fanus are people too. You could have shown him that his actions have consequences and instead you've empowered him by showing him that you won't try anything to stop him!"

Velvet was stunned, this was a conversation that she has had several times in the past especially with her own team but, she never thought that Blake would be so passionate about it. It was kind of… heartwarming to see someone so zealous about equality, true equality instead of the revenge that the White Fang was promising nowadays. So, she decided to let Blake in on a secret, "Do you know what my Semblance is?"

"What?"

"My Semblance, do you know what it is?"

"I heard you the first time I just don't know what it has to do with anything." Blake was pissed, Is she just trying to change the subject?

"It allows me to instantly memorize and copy moves through observation, granted it comes with the limitation that it only gives me the knowledge on how to perform the move. If I don't have the physical ability to perform the action then it just becomes useless info. For example, if I see someone play a song on the guitar my semblance allows me to play the same song even if I've never touched a guitar before in my life."

"Once again what do-..." The words died on Blake's tongue as the realization hit her. "You were going to steal his moves."

"Oh, I was going to do more than steal em, I may be a bit of a softy but even I can hold a grudge or two. Now don't misunderstand me, I didn't purposely make myself a target. I really did just want to eat my food in peace but then he decided to be an asshole. However, that's not the reason why I am sharing this secret with you." Now it was Velvet's turn to make Blake uncomfortable. "Not everything is what it seems nor is the first impression of a person always right."

"You're talking about Weiss."

"Why is she here, Blake? Why did Weiss Schnee choose to come to a foreign country to study in our academy? Why become a huntress at all?"

Blake began to sink back into the chair she was trying to make sense of everything that Velvet just pointed out to her, Was Weiss trying to get out of Atlas? Why Leave? Was she trying to avoid special treatment but the reports on Ironwood made him out to be strict but fair. Or was she trying to get away from someone…

"You look like you have a lot to work out, so I'll leave you to it." Velvet got up to leave but turned back for a moment "Remember Blake, if I'm wrong, you can just walk away with Yang and that will be the end of it. I'll even let you say, I told you so, to my face. But, please for your sake and the sake of your team try." She then left Blake alone to think things over.

* * *

The Forever Fall true to its name was a forest within the Grimmlands that was enterally in the embrace of autumn and it was gorgeous, a true unexplainable wonderland that felt like it was the setting for some fairy tale. It didn't matter whether the student was originally from one of the other Kingdoms or was born and raised in Vale, all had been left breathless by the view. Even the pilots of the bullheads lingered on a few minutes longer than they should as well as Professor Glynda Goodwitch who had been secretly looking forward to this visit for some time.

A cynical critic would point to the enthralled students and declare the entire trip to be some sort of attempt at brainwashing these children to willingly throw themselves at the Grimm in order to achieve some impossible dream. Quite frankly, they wouldn't be completely wrong. These young huntresses and huntsmen-in-training were there to gather sap which did have a plethora of medicinal uses as well as playing a major role in the understanding of how this forest came to be. Thus resulting in a better understanding of the world at large, however, that was not the true purpose of this field trip and other similar activities. The real reason why these first-year students at Beacon were brought here was to show them what they would be fighting for, it was to give them a peek into a world that existed right next to them, but was denied to them by the Grimm. That was why Beacon and every other Huntsman Academy would arrange such trips, to ignite an explorer's spirit in its student body.

Jaune, however, was not enthralled by the seemingly unnatural beauty of the Forever Fall; he did not notice anything at all special about the place. This was because while everyone was gawking at the forest, Jaune was hidden behind a tree and clenching his stomach trying not to live up to his nickname of "Vomit Boy."

"Hey, Jaune are... you okay?"

"I'm fine, just trying to take it all in." He looked up to who he was talking to and greeted by the sight of Cardin Winchester and the rest of his team. Shit.

Jaune quickly scanned the forest looking for any possible way of this horrid scenario that he now found himself in but his team was nowhere in sight, and neither was Ruby's team and Goodwitch was too busy directing everyone else to notice. He was outnumbered but, as long as I stay here I'll be able to get everyone's attention if Cardin tries to start something.

"Look, Jaune… I'm sorry for doubting you." The Bully spoke.

"What!?"

"I mean no, I'm not sorry about doubting you because come on your Aura not protecting you? That's just ridiculous but, then it turns out to be- OuCH!" Cardin was interrupted by his teammate with the Mohawk suddenly whacked the back of Cardin's head.

"Look, what he's trying to say is that he's sorry about acting like an asshole to you and about breaking your spine." Mohawk clarified.

The one in brown armor stepped forward "Honestly if I had your semblance I'm not sure I would be able to keep trying to become a Huntsman."

"I'm not sure if you're crazy or badass." the final member of CRDL added.

Jaune was naturally as confused and surprised as anyone would be if they found themselves in this situation, it felt unreal. This was the sort of situation that only ever happened in some kind of cliche kid's story where the bully apologizes to his victim and they both walk away as friends and life was just one big adventure. But, Jaune knew better, he learned just how little life cared the day when he was drugged and his body was violated, life wasn't easy and Cardin could not just say sorry and expect to be forgiven. "And why are you telling me all of this right now? Why not back then when I spent an entire day stuck in the medical bay because you broke my spine? Huh? Why are you acting so damn apologetic when you were one of the biggest assholes I've had the misfortune to meet, Cardin?"

To Winchester's credit, he did not expect to be forgiven but this was something else, What happened to you Jaune? Were you hurt? "I did try to visit you Jaune, I wanted to apologize to you in the medical bay but when I came the doctor wouldn't let me in. He told me that I would just upset you."

Yeah, that does sound like something Gris would do and it was probably the right thing to do as well. "And after that Cardin? The fight was several days ago! Why didn't you apologize back then? Why now!" Jaune demanded.

"Your friend with the hammer and her boyfriend got in the way," Mohawk answered for Cardin. "And when it wasn't them, it was Pyrrha. Even when we finally figured out a way around her we got stopped again by Team RWBY."

"Maybe there was a good reason they kept trying to stop you?" Jaune snapped, "And you know what Cardin! Talk is cheap! If you want to prove that you're sorry then show it with your actions." With that Jaune pushed his way past the entirety of Team CRDL to go look for his team but, when he had gone only a few steps away he stopped and turned right back around to face Cardin and his team one more time, "I'm not the only person you need to ask forgiveness from." He then turned around and walked away from the bullies to leave them alone with their thoughts.

"You did good," said Ren.

"SWEET OUM ON HIGH!? Where Did You Come From!?" Screamed Jaune.

"Well me and Renny were always close-by ready to back you up in case Cardin tried something, cause we're the best!" Nora cheerfully spoke.

"The two of us have spent many years surviving and thriving in the wilderness of Minstrel," Ren spoke with such calmness that Jaune very nearly took him at his word.

"Yeah, but then we got sick and tired of Minstral's forests. Now don't get me wrong Jaune they are beautiful and incredibly dangerous but Ren and I both decided that it was time to start seeing other forests and that's why we're at Beacon!"

"But why are you suddenly here? Where were you two when Cardin and his goons showed up?"

"Pyrrha asked us to keep an eye on you while she informed Professor Goodwitch. Though it seems that Winchester's intentions were harmless," Ren answered while also leaving out how he had to use his Semblance on their team leader just to keep her from chasing after Jaune and possibly get everyone in trouble. He looked over at Nora who was cheerfully marching through the woods seemingly unaware of the half-truth that he just told Jaune. I think I can understand where some of Jaune's issues are coming from but Pyrrha… there is something ugly that she's been trying to bury for a while. If it wasn't for Jaune then perhaps it would still be there buried and hidden and growing… like cancer. This might all be some sort of odd blessing in disguise.

* * *

"Well, what do you think of this tree?" Ruby asked her team while resting her hand against the bark of the tree in question. "Do you think we can get good sap from it?"

Weiss began walking around the tree to examine it while comparing it to the information on her scroll instructing them as to what they were looking for as Black and Yang kept watch for any possible problems. After a minute or so Weiss declared the tree to be acceptable and with that Team RWBY began their work to earn their Grade. It was simple work, make a deep enough cut, insert the faucet and just let the sap flow ever so slowly. It was time-consuming and bloody boring as hell.

"Well, since we're going to be stuck here for a bit so how about we get to know each other a bit better?" Ruby suggested. "Sure, we all know the basics of each other but we haven't had the opportunity to learn about each other. Look I start, me and Yang are Half-Sisters."

"That's right, same dad, different moms," Yang confirmed.

Both Weiss and Blake were surprised, they knew that Ruby and Yang were sisters but had always assumed that Ruby was adopted or that the two were merely as close as sisters. It was then that the two both Blake and Weiss realized something. She's right. I really don't know my own team as well as I should.

"So then why are your names so different?" Weiss asked.

"Well, that's because Ruby's mom chose to keep her family name and they both decided that Ruby Xiao Long just sounded stupid."

"Wait! Really? Yaaaang, you told me that mom named me after the Huntress who inspired her!"

"That's because she did, but she had been inspired by several different Huntsmen. In fact, if you had been born a boy, they were going to name you Yellow!" Yang declared with a hearty chuckle.

As the Heiress of one of the biggest if not the biggest and probably most influential corporation in the world Wiess had been taught from an early age on how to read people and more importantly to read in between the lines, Wait a moment, Yang came first and then Ruby but Yang seems to know more about Ruby's mother than Ruby does and when you consider that her mother had been inspired by huntsmen that probably means that she's Huntress… Oh, I guess Ruby isn't as naive as I thought... Fine, I'll play along then. "Well, if you two are done quibbling I would like to inform you all that I have a younger brother named Whitley and an older sister named Winter who is a specialist in the Atlas Military and works directly under General Ironwood," she said with no small amount of pride.

"Oh, so the Ice Queen is playing along? It looks like she has finally decided to… Chill out!" Yang proclaimed

Blake rolled her eyes at her partner's newest and possibly worst attempt at a pun yet before refocusing to consider what she should reveal about herself. I could tell them how I visited all the Kingdoms. Then another thought entered her mind, Velvet, she would probably want me to reveal myself... Wiess spoke of Winter with pride. As a former officer in the White Fang, Blake was well aware of how Winter chose to leave the comfy life of an Heiress behind much to the chagrin of a certain bastard. Both mom and dad did believe that Winter was an honorable person and Weiss is clearly proud of her… maybe I've misjudged her. But, then again there was the argument we had a few days ago… everyone deserves a second chance.

"Well, Blake do you have anything you want to share?" Ruby asked.

Reaching up to her bow Blake decided to take the dive, "I'm a Faunus."

The reaction she received was all rather amusing with Ruby getting excited, Wiess being shocked and Yang just standing there with a smug look on her face? Did she somehow already know or did she just suspect?

"So that's why you like Fish!" Wiess suddenly declared, "You are a cat!"

Both Ruby and Yang suddenly went silent and as for Blake, she was scowling right at Weiss. "I like fish because I grew up on an Island. They remind me of my Home and my Family. I Do Not Like Fish Just Because I Happen To Have Cat Ears!"

"Wha- what! I was trying to make a Joke!"

"So, your idea of a Joke involves calling me a fucking animal!" Blake snarled. Yang ran over to her partner's side and gently began to lead her away from Ruby and Weiss. Blake, however, wasn't done just yet, "You know Weiss when I heard you talk about your sister I noticed the pride in your voice. I can't believe that I actually thought for a moment that I misjudged you, that Velvet was right and all I needed was to give you a second chance. But, you're nothing like Winter."

"Come on, we'll do this assignment on our own," Yang whispered to Blake who was already in the process of retrieving her ribbon.

Wiess fell to her knees but she did not cry, Goddamnit what is wrong with me? I left Atlas to restore Schnee's good name but instead, all I've done is prove- She suddenly feels a hand on her shoulder and looks to find that Ruby is looking at her not with anger for ruining things, but rather with concern for the heiress's wellbeing. "I'm… sorry, Ruby."

"I know, you are."

"I'm going to apologize to Blake and I swear I will do better. She's my teammate, not some White Fang bastard, she deserves better."

Some might have called young Ruby Rose crazy but, at that moment she felt that just maybe there was some hope for her team.

* * *

Ozpin stood alone in the elevator as it quietly descended, some people would call what he was about to do a waste of time, indeed as the Headmaster of Beacon Academy there was always something that needed to be done and there were other places and especially other people where his presence and attention was if not necessary, appreciated. But Ozpin was more than just a headmaster, he was old, tired, full of regret and determined not to let these words go unspoken and become the latest addition to his ever-growing list of regrets and mistakes.

*Ding*

The doors to the elevator opened up revealing the secret basement of Beacon Academy in all its entirety, though it would be more apt to call it a hallway leading to nowhere. In the past, he had used this room and rooms like this for many different purposes both noble and cruel. Now, it housed the Aura Transfer Machine that had been built by Atlas and delivered by General Ironwood himself piece by piece. It was an imposing piece of technology that looked like some sort of brainwashing device that one might see or read about in some silly work of science fiction, though the truth was far less sinister. All it did was what the name implied, transfer aura from one person to another, a process that could potentially save the lives and careers of countless Huntsmen.

Walking up to the device Ozpin thought of all the good that this machine was supposed to accomplish and how it contrasted with how they were planning on using it, asleep inside the machine was the woman that he came to visit and apologize to. Standing now in front of her he placed a hand on the glass which separated her from the rest of the world and just stared at her scarred brown skin, My fault. "Hello Amber…," he stood silent trying to figure out the words that he needed to tell her but she would never hear. "I was wrong. I was afraid and I am responsible for what happened to you."

The four Maidens were very close to the top of Ozpin's regrets, it was a pathetically short-sighted attempt to try and reclaim something that he should have gotten over a long long time ago it was also a doomed effort to try and lighten a load that belonged to him and him alone. Amber was not the first to be cursed with the title of The Fall Maiden and she would not be the last. However with this life-saving device turned coffin, he and the rest of his inner circle could ensure that Amber's legacy would not be a fruitless tragedy. Not that it does her any good…

"Soon, very soon the creme of the crop from all of the Academies would arrive here at Beacon for the Vytal Festival and among them will be someone who I will have the painful duty of asking them to shoulder your burden and responsibility… along with your pain. I'll be perfectly honest with you Amber, I'm scared. I fear that I'll make yet another mistake and yet another innocent is going to suffer for it, I'm scared because I have no idea what Salem is planning, I'm terrified that if I act rashly I'll just…," There was so much ash and smoke that day, Rojo was holding her tightly and shouting something at me. I've forgotten what he said but I remember why he said it… I didn't wait. "I'm sorry I just… remembered something from a long time ago." There were no chairs or even cushions in that basement so the old Headmaster simply lowered himself to the floor and sat in front of Amber's coffin so he could look through the glass at the woman whose life he ruined, "Oobleck once told me that it wasn't healthy to bottle everything inside, I wanted to open up to him but how could I? Even Glynda doesn't know the whole story no one does… Amber, I don't know if you can hear me but if you can. I would like to give you a long-overdue explanation."

Maybe it was just a little selfish of Ozpin to do this but, sometimes a little selfishness is healthy.

"A long time ago, the world was a very different place…"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** This entire scene with Ozpin and Amber wasn't something that I originally had planned. I was originally going to end the chapter by cutting back to Roman planning the Heist. But, then I got an idea and the whole thing just sort of wrote itself. Also, that little Flashback that Oz had isn't important so don't worry about it, I just wanted to give an example of how a past failure is still affecting him. Either way, the next chapter will be the end of RWBY Vol 1 so look forward to it! I just hope that you'll all like what I have planned.


	14. Chapter 14

One of the most important lessons that Pyrrha learned in her admittedly short life was how to look unremarkable, it was surprisingly easy to do. All she needed was to do was mess up her hair, not put any makeup on, wear thick glasses, some baggy clothes, and carry a fake ID. However that wasn't always enough, only Oum knows just how many times back home in Minstral she had been followed by an eagle-eyed member of the paparazzi who was just a little suspicious of the dorky girl who possessed a passing resemblance to a certain champion of the arena. She wanted to say that everything changed when she moved to Vale but, she wasn't nearly that naive. She wasn't allowed to be, Do Not bring shame to our Family. Shut Up, Shut Up, Shut Up!

Pyrrha took a moment to compose herself before walking up to the front door of little forge located near the Academy. Once inside she was greeted by numerous pieces of armor, some for display, others for practical use and each one created with love and passion for the art.

Working at the cashier was a young woman who seemed to be just a little older than Pyrrha and whose tanned muscled skin, bright neon red hair and a large visible scar peeking from under her shirt all suggested that she was either an older student of Beacon or maybe even a graduate working as an apprentice. The fact that she had been subtly watching Pyrrha's every move only reinforced the idea.

"Um, I'm here to pick up an order," the champion spoke up.

"Let me see the Receipt," the cashier ordered.

Digging into her pocket Pyrrha pulled out her scroll and in seconds had the digital receipt ready. The cashier took her time looking over the image and even crossed reference the receipt with the stores on records. Finally, it seems the woman was satisfied, "We Got a Pick Up For Order D27. I repeat, get D27 here! The buyers come to pick up," she suddenly shouted with a voice so loud Pyrrha wondered if it was her semblance. "Sorry about that, my man's hearing isn't what it used to be."

"No it's fine really, there's no need to apologize."

"So, tell me. Who's the armor for?"

"Oh, it's for my Brother! He's trying to become a huntsman and I worry about him sometimes," if there was only one good thing that ever came from her father's lectures was the importance of being able to lie, Nobody wants to hear how your day went. All those parasites want a moment of weakness that they can plaster on the front page. Never give them a chance.

From the back of the store emerged an older and rather stocky man sporting his own set of scars carrying a case holding of what Pyrrha assumed was her order. "Well here you go missy, I got to say that I had fun working on this. It's not every day I get a customer who knows their stuff as well as you do," The blacksmith placed the case down on the ground in front of her, "Well, go on. Check the goods out!"

With quick efficiency, Pyrrha had the case open and began to carefully inspect every single piece of armor searching for any flaws and making sure that it made to her exact specifications, after a minute or so she turned to the smith, "It's Perfect!" Soon she left the store in high spirits paying no mind to anyone who saw her carrying the case.

* * *

Once she was back at Beacon the champion who was still in disguise began to make her way over to one of many sparing rooms that Beacon held. In particular, she was on her way to a room that she had reserved for the team a few days ago to help Jaune train and to her great pleasure that is exactly what she found upon entering the room.

"Ugh!" Jaune grunted has Ren's fist slipped past his defenses and buried itself into his side. However, the blonde berserker simply ignored the pain and threw a haymaker that was deftly dodged by his more agile foe. However, Jaune did not stop in his pursuit and continued to assault the ninja while powering through any hits Ren landed.

She was pleased to see that Ren was helping Jaune learn some hand to hand combat, Given how often Jaune seems to lose his weapon he needs this. Though I wonder why? Is it related to his semblance? That would make some sense considering he can get swept up in an adrenaline rush.

"Heeeeeeeey Pyrrha! Like what you see?" whispered Nora who had somehow snuck up on her captain.

"AHHH!" She nearly dropped everything. "How did you do that!?"

"Weeeell me and Renny had no choice but to learn to be all sneaky like a snake! Just be able to hunt down some animals so we would starve to death like Freddy did!"

"Who- who is Freddy?"

"No one. No one at all." Nora answered with an unexpected coldness before turning away.

'Oh um, okay…" she turned her attention back to match between her two remaining teammates that seemed to be winding down. Jaune had done well to endure against Ren's numerous well placed strikes and even managed to get in a solid hit or two but Ren's discipline and training were the clear winner of the match, not that you could tell by looking at the content written all over Jaune's face. Only Pathetic Fools who are Destined to Fail can find Joy in Defeat! That's not true, it can't be!

"Oh, Hey… Pyr? Wow, I almost didn't recognize you." Jaune was looking straight at her while Ren stood a bit back while saying something to Nora.

"Oh! This is just a little disguise I wore to avoid some fans while I got you this!" She handed him the package which he took with much curiosity. "It's a new set of armor to replace the one I broke back at Initiation, I would have gotten it earlier but, l didn't know the city too well." she embarrassingly admitted."

He carefully set the case down and began to slowly open it, almost like he was afraid that it would disappear if he rushed it. Once it was opened he slowly and carefully began examining every single piece of armor, appearance-wise was designed to match what little remained of his old armor but that was of little importance compared to the feeling of holding it in his hands. Jaune always admired the knights in fairy tales, he admired them for their bravery and their dedication to always help the helpless and defend the defenseless. After everything that has happened to him, it felt as though that dream was becoming further and further away if he had never met Pyrrha or Ren or Nora… he didn't want to think about it. Without waiting for even a second longer he began to put on the armor as his team watched.

The result was an utterly ecstatic Jaune who seem to be on the edge of jumping with joy, "This is incredible Pyr but, you didn't have to-"

"I did Jaune. I'm the one who broke your armor meaning that replacing it was always my responsibility, Not to mention that he is going to need this armor since his aura doesn't protect him. Besides I've paid for it months ago, it was only recently done."

"I can't wait to test it out!"

"Well, Jaune, you won't have to wait very long for that!" Nora exclaimed while hefting Magnhild in a manner that was begging to make Jaune just a little nervous.

"Hey, Nora, could you watch where you're pointing that thing?"

"I apologize Jaune. However, Huntsmen class armor is very expensive and takes some time to get used to." Ren began loading his Storm Flowers while walking up to Jaune who was now surrounded on both sides.

"Don't worry! Me and Renny are going to help you become the very best you can be!"

"Guys! Wait! Wait just a moment! Guys!?"

"Don't worry Jaune! We are going to help you become the best Huntsman you possibly can be, it is my duty as the team leader to help bring out the best in you," Pyrrha playfully added.

During the brief period that Jaune was able to train with Qrow, he experienced sensations that were entirely new to him. Feelings of pain and sickness as the old drunkard did everything in his power to try and get the wannabe knight up to speed with the people who were going to become his peers and hopefully colleagues. This involved running a lot of running and push-ups and crunches and dogging so much dodging as the old man took every single opportunity to try and sucker punch the poor lad and it was one of the best and worst experiences of Jaune's life. Right now, he felt the same way. Sure he was beyond tired as one would naturally be after a spring session with a Valkyrie, a Ninja, and a Champion but, they were his friends and allies and he was their Knight.

*RRRRIIIINNNNNNG!* *RRRRIIIINNNNNNG!*

Brought back to reality Jaune went to answer his scroll, "Hello Jau-"

The first thing he heard was the sound of someone fighting to hold back the tears followed by Ruby's anxious voice "Jaune I need your help right now!"

"What Happened? What's Wrong?" He nearly shouted which caught the attention of the rest of his team who quickly noticed the look of concern on his face as well as how nervous he was acting. They quickly gathered around him to see what was wrong and in response, he put the call on speaker.

"It's Blake! She's just run away and Weiss went running after her and now I need your help to find them! Please!

"Why did they run?"

"WHY DOES IT MATTER!? JUST HELP ME!"

The line then went silent and then through the scroll they could hear what they thought was Yang talking to Ruby. However, they couldn't hear what was being said between the two sisters, though they did try their best to make out what was being said. Eventually, that private conversation ended and Yang's voice replaced Ruby's on the scroll, "Look, we just need your help finding idiot partners. So are you going to help us or not?"

"Just tell us what to do," Pyrrha responded.

"Huh, Pyrrha? I thought Ruby called… yeah, shed called Jaune. Were you guys-, no that not important. Ruby and I are going to search through downtown, you guys take midtown and if it starts to get late head to the Docks."

"Got it! But Why the Docks?" Pyrrha asked.

"Let's just say that they both have some business that they need to attend to over there. Good luck and thank you, Ruby and I appreciate this more than you guys will ever know." Yang then ended the call and within moments there was a rush of activity as Team PRAN sprung into action to assist their sister team.

* * *

"So, let me see if I'm understanding this correctly," Weiss was sitting inside of a small and rather quaint cafe while enjoying a lovely view, that came with the benefit of watching some of the roads leading to the docks and was having a rather unusual conversation with a peer of hers. "You left on the captain's desk an envelope containing enough money for the ticket and to cover any miscellaneous expenses that you might have accrued. Is this correct?"

"I have no idea what accrued means but, yeah! That's about right," replied the ever-watchful and cheerful Sun Wukong.

Weiss took a nice long sip of her tea before gently setting it on the table, she then slammed her fist into the table with enough force to crack it, "Then why did you stowaway on that Ship? Why not simply pay for a ticket like a normal person would have done!?"

"For training."

"What!?"

"When I graduate from Haven I'm going to join the Mistral police force and become a great detective! Sadly in Mistral, it's almost impossible to get anything done if you're not at least as sneaky as the guy you're trying to catch," he quickly answered.

Weiss tried her best to come out with a response, anything that she could use to try and point out just how foolish his actions were and yet all she could do was think about what her older sister Winter would say. Stealth and survival training while going undercover as a stowaway? I Approve. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't imagine her sister saying anything else and that worried her so she changed the subject, "And why are you helping me?"

"I saw the argument between you and your teammate, it wasn't hard for me to realize that I was responsible for that."

"No, it was me-," A Schnee is never wrong. What would you Know!? You're not a Schnee! "It was my fault. Earlier we passed by a crime scene and I said something inappropriate. You quite frankly were only the metaphorical straw that broke the camel's back."

"So, this was a problem that's been going on for a while then. By the way, that isn't a question, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to say," Sun took a moment to turn to a passing waiter. "Another coffee please, Oh! And can I get an orange as well?"

"Right away sir!"

"Thanks, Buddy!"

Sun then turned back to the Heiress and with a smile that could launch a thousand ships asked two more questions "So, what are you going to do next? And how can I help?

Weiss took a moment to think carefully about Sun's question, sure it was an innocent suggestion and he did seem like the sort of man who would help her out. However, This would mean bringing an outsider into a problem that I'd rather keep within the team. Blake will almost certainly be at the Dock tonight and if she is wrong the extra help would be welcomed also having another Faunus around would help calm her. "Look Sun, the situation between me and Blake is a little more complicated than what I've told you and no offense."

"You don't want to bring a stranger into your problems," he finished for her.

"That being said, I would love to have your help."

* * *

Blake would never admit it to anyone, but right now she was beyond scared. She wasn't scared for her life or her safety or even how she would provide for herself from here on out, one of the benefits of being part of the White Fang for as long she was is that you learn to make do. What she was scared of is the possibility that Weiss was right, What if the White Fang are too far gone? But, isn't that why you left? Because you didn't like where they were going but you couldn't stand up to Adam? And now you left your new team because without even an explanation and to do what? Shut up, I just need to do this! But, why?

"Why am I doing this?" Blake whispered to no one but herself as she observed the Docks from the roof of a nearby building. Because I have to know, I have to know what's going on. And I need to see it with my own eyes. Her resolve restored, the former agent of the White Fang returned to her vigil, watching and waiting for anyone of anything that might be considered out of place. Eventually, a ship of unmistakable Altas design appeared on the horizon bearing the cargo of Dust as well as being armed with enough firepower that one might have mistaken it for a battleship. She saw it for what it was, a show of force by an over-privileged self-centered manchild upset that the Faunus doesn't simply lie down and obediently behave. But, what if it is also a sign of things to come?

It was at this moment that Blake decided to leave for now and come back a little later, Adam would have to be an utter fool to attack now assuming that he was even behind this at all. Now was the time for her to conserve her strength because if there was going to be a robbery she was going to be there to stop it. Or at least die trying.

After taking some time to rest Blake returned to her watch this time hiding within the Dock itself: The ship had properly docked, the cargo was unloaded, the ship left and no one at all came to try and steal the dust. The sun sank and the moon rose as the hours continued their march with Blake's heart soaring higher and higher as the night dragged on. Then came the unmistakable sound of several Bullheads flying overhead and what she saw broke her heart. The vehicles stopped right over docks and began to hover in place as men and women wearing an all too familiar looking uniform and mask got to work attaching cables to the storage units containing the Dust.

"Alright, you animals remember that we are on a tight schedule so please do me a solid and try to act with some measure of professionalism!"

What!? Among the robbers was a human, who seemed to be leading them. No, that can't be right, Adam would never let a human lead anything especially if they spoke like that! She needed to get closer and show she began making her way through the storage units taking great care not to make a single sound, this paid off when she got close enough to make out the face of the cigar-smoking human giving orders. Roman Torchwick!? Wait, didn't Ruby get into school because she stopped one of his robberies? Nothing made sense, according to what she heard about that robbery Torchwick had been working with humans and yet for reasons that she could not even begin to guess he was barking orders to the White Fang who against all logic was following orders rather than turning on the racist pretty boy.

Taking a nice long dragon from his cigar the premier master thief of Remnant looked upon his hired hands and felt just a teeny-tiny bit of pride as he watched them work. Glad to see that only my work training these dogs a few new tricks wasn't a complete waste of time. Then he felt a blade press down on his neck and like magic any feelings of pride he may have had transformed into incredible disappointment. Judging by the hands I'd say that it was another brat, though this one seems bigger than Little Red.

"Brothers and Sisters of the White Fang! Why are you working with this man?"

Roman was insulted, Really I'm right here and you're just going to ignore me!? How incredibly rude! Quickly scanning around he began to assess the situation as whoever this young lady just kept asking questions. She didn't take Melodic Gudgel so probably thinks it's just a cane, she probably thinks I don't have aura since she's not trying to choke me out. Without turning his head the thief quickly looked to see if the girl had any allies but couldn't spot anyone, Doesn't mean that they are not there, but at least these animals seem ready for a fight… Making up his mind he angled his cane so that it was now pointing at the ground beneath whoever this girl was, prepared his aura, braced himself and pulled the trigger.

The results were instantaneous as the resulting explosion blew back the would-be heroine, who to her credit quickly got back on her feet before goons could rush her down. "No, No, No! I'll take care of the brat. The rest of you get Back to Work! We have a schedule to keep!" Seeing the wisdom in his words they quickly abandon the fight with the huntress-in-training and return to stealing, however, this just meant that Blake now had to contend with a far greater foe. In moments the thief was in her face striking at her with his cane at shocking speeds, force, and precision that could only be possible with huntsman level training. However, her training allowed her to keep a good solid grip on her weapon and strike back thus entering a contest of battle prowess that only helped Torchwick as it dragged on.

Blake needed to get away from this man as soon as possible so she waited for him to strike at her head and then used her Semblance to create a clone to take the hit as she ran past him and it worked! Until she felt Melodic Cudgel hook right into her side and pull her right into Roman's fist which made her stagger.

"Well Kitty Cat I don't know what your deal is but I'm going to need you to take a bit of a cat nap right now," he walked toward her and raised his cane intending not to kill her The last thing we need is a dead kid on the news, but rather knock her out cold and leave her to the authorities who in all their wisdom would probably blame her for the robbery.

"BANG!"

Torchwick took a step back as his aura absorbed the force of a bullet that struck him right in the chest. "What! When did you!?-" he was abruptly cut off as a monkey armed with a stick ran up to him and kicked him right in the chest knocking him to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Sun shouted to Blake who managed to regain her bearings.

"The stowaway? What are you doing here?" she asked right back.

"I was helping your friend Weiss look for you!"

"What is she doing here?"

"She's worried about you. Duh."

While those two brats were wasting talking to each other in the middle of a battlefield, Seriously what are they teaching these kids? Torchwick saw this as his chance to escape and try to get at least some work done tonight. Slipping away unnoticed the thief hid behind a shipping container and then he reached into his coat and pulled out a Walkie-Talkie "Give me an Update!"

"Everything has gone to shit!"

"What is that supposed to mean!? Details! Give me Details!"

"A goddamn Schnee just appeared and started attacking us and before we could take that bitch out! More people started to show up!"

The sound of battle was beginning to fill the night sky, Shit! Someone is going to call the cops if they haven't already! Dammit, all that bribe money is going down the toilet. Raising the Walkie-Talkie to his mouth Roman barked the necessary order that he knew he would regret before the night was done, "The Gig is Up! Everyone grab what you can and pull out! I repeat Everyone gets out! Bullheads! One of you gives covering fire while the others get loaded up! Now don't Fuck UP!"

The speed that Roman's orders were carried out was a true testament to the training and discipline that Adam Taurus instilled into his White Fang as the students were all sent into hiding when one of the Bullheads began raining down hot lead at them. Meanwhile, the remaining Bullheads got into position as the minions that were left standing ignoring their injured and unconscious brethren to return to work.

Blake almost couldn't believe what she was seeing her teammate coming for her, despite everything she hid from them, they were still worried about her. Even, Weiss of all people had come for her and was accompanied by a Faunus on top of it all! Hell, even team JNPR had arrived on the scene as well as some weird girl that she didn't recognize but seemed rather friendly with Ruby. But, Weiss was right, the White Fang was behind the robberies but why? I know that everything runs on Dust, but we never needed this much Dust when I was in the Fang and their allies; they're just abandoning them! What's happening with Adam!? He was never the man he made you believe he was!

"Blake!" Ruby cried snapping the Faunus out of her thoughts and back into reality. "I don't know what Penny is about to do but she says you need to Duck!"

What happened next was easily one of the most unusual sights that everyone present at the Dock had ever seen. That new girl suddenly pent forward and blades merged from her back and started to fly in a rapid circular pattern right in front of herself as she straightened her back. She then thrust her arms forward and a Green Beam of Energy short from her swords and impacted the attacking Bullhead destroying it. Shortly after that a barrage of Nora's signature grenades flew out and destroyed yet another Bullhead whose wreckage triggered a charge from all of the students sealing the battle as all the White Fang were forced to flee in the few Bullheads that remained.

* * *

When the last of the Bullheads fled from the scene and uneasy peace returned to the Docks as everyone began to seek and rejoin their scattered teammates which put Blake in an extremely uncomfortable position but it was also a position that she understood she deserved.

"Blake Belladonna! What in Oum's name were you thinking!" Weiss shouted as she stomped her way towards her. "Do you have any idea just how worried I was? How worried Everyone was when you just ran off without an explanation?"

"You were worried about me?"

"Of course you Dolt!" Weiss shoved an accusing finger at Blake as she continued to rant. "I was worried sick! And considering just how many people showed up I'd say that a lot of people were worried about you!"

"Weiss I-"

"Let me finish. I have had some time to think about what I've said and done and I'll admit that after talking to Sun-."

"Who's Sun?"

"The stowaway, except that it turns out that he isn't one but that is not the point! The point is that both you and I were both right about a lot of things and we need to get over our problems if we are to do anything about it! So I'm going to start!" Weiss took a moment to consider her next words but just looked at her teammate the heiress understood that it wasn't the words that would matter but rather the truth of the words.

"Weiss?"

"Blake Belladonna, I apologize. I was both ignorant and arrogant, I was rude, I jumped to conclusions and I made you feel isolated and in danger when you should have felt safe and I would like a chance to prove myself to you," Weiss held up a hand to her teammate.

Blake took Weiss' hand "I also want to apologize for assuming the worst about you."

"Except I deserved it," Weiss plainly stated and upon seeing Blake confused faced she clarified. "I am aware of what my father has done and upon whose backs the SDC is making its money from, it's why my older sister left the family and its why I came to Beacon. When I inherit the company I will set things right but, it would be stupid and selfish of me to ask all of Faunus kind to just wait and suffer till then."

"Well, can I at least apologize for running away and making everyone worry?" Blake asked.

"Save it for Ruby… oh shit. Yang is going to kill us for this," Weiss realized.

* * *

Inside of the car sat a rather dejected Penny Polendina who kept looking through the back window at her friend Ruby and the people around the huntress. Anyone with half a brain cell could figure out what the android wanted and anyone who had even a shred of a heart would feel for her. Fortunately for her General Ironwood who was sitting in the car with Penny had both in abundance, "Don't worry Penny, soon very soon you will be able to freely hang out with your friends and even make new ones. You just have to wait a little longer."

"I understand father, I just got excited today," she replied.

"You got excited? That's good! That's incredibly good!"

"Really!? But Lieutenant Winter said that a soldier shouldn't allow their emotions to control them!"

"Penny you're a teenager not a soldier you're allowed to be a little emotional and besides, I've always thought Winter was a little too strict for her good but don't tell her I said that."

"Indeed I won't! Oh, I just recalled! Jaune Arc was present tonight though I didn't get to officially meet him," she said with a tint of disappointment in her voice, a sure-fire sign that her artificial soul was still real. She then perked up, "However, I was able to do a primary scan of his body!"

"Oh! Did you learn anything interesting?" he asked genuinely.

"Based solely on what I could see I would have to agree with Dr. Gris' theory. Whatever was administered to Jaune was an incomplete prototype. Thus calling him a Pseudo-Grimm while rude is most certainly appropriate."

* * *

The scene replayed in Jaune's head for what had to be the tenth or so time, We arrived late as the fight had already begun at the Docks. Pyrrha went to the right, Ren and Nora took the center and I took the left. It wasn't hard at first, those masked men were too distracted by the chaos to notice me, but that didn't last. Soon they came at me with guns and blades, without this armor it could have been far worse. Then I was ambushed, and I-

"Jaune? Are you alright?" It was Pyrrha coming to check up on her partner like any good leader would and she found him just staring blankly at three masked corpses: One was leaning limply against the wall with a stab wound through the chest, the second was off to the side with an oddly bent neck and the third was lying on her back with gunshot wounds peppering her body.

"I've never killed anyone before," Jaune softly spoke as she rushed to his side. "I'm supposed to feel something, right? Why, why don't I feel anything?" he looked at her with eyes that were full of fear, fear that maybe he was a monster.

She had no idea what to say.

* * *

Cinder and her brats were waiting for him when he got back to the warehouse, Roman tried to explain himself but the results were everything to Cinder and she had no time for him.

Before he could even open his mouth Mercury was already on him delivering a vicious kick that sent Roman right into a wall.

"You asked for a base and I delivered. You claimed you needed equipment and you received that and more," CInder began walking around the room, the clicking of her heels sounding more like the countdown to an execution as Mercury continued his assault with Emerald's support. "When I got you, men, you told me that they weren't good enough and I being an extremely patient woman found your replacements. And yet despite everything you were given, you have delivered nothing in return."

With a smirk, Emerald and Mercury stepped away from the thief as Cinder's eyes began to glow and her hand burst into flames that threatened to incinerate Tourchwick. Suddenly there was the sound of shattering glass and from seemingly nowhere emerged a petite woman with dual-colored eyes and hair and dressed in an outfit that seemed to echo Roman's. But what caught everyone's attention was the long slender blade that she was pointing right at Cinder's chest.

Before anyone could say or do anything, the sounds of engines filled the warehouse as truck after truck entered the warehouse filled with Dust of all types stunning Cinder and her brats. Roman got up and dusted himself off as Neopolitan sheathed her blade and walked over to her partner to check on him, "Cindy, you asked for enough Dust to supply an army. Well, I have delivered!"

"But you Failed! The Robbery Failed Roman! Where did you get all of this?" Cinder demanded while feeling an odd mix of anger, confusion and pleasant surprise.

"The Schnee's sent several shipments in secret, what you saw at the dock was nothing more than their idea of a publicity stunt. They never counted on me figuring out where most of the Dust was being kept or that I'd bribe and blackmail the police dispatchers to delay the cops while I played the distraction." He reached into his coat and pulled out a cigar that he lit and took a nice long drag. "I'm a professional honey. I know what I'm doing."

* * *

 **Author's Notes** : Vol 1 is now complete and I can now start on Vol 2, Yay! That being said, I'm honestly not too happy with how this chapter turned out but, with classes about to soon begin, I figured that it was probably best to put this one out now and replace it with a better version later down the road. So when that happens I'll include a note in the Author's Notes. Now let's get into the Nitty Gritty:

Jaune's Armor: I always meant to replace his broken armor and I wanted to do it sooner but it never felt natural until now. As for the appearance... I was going to describe it in detail but I don't know much about actual armor and quite frankly it was just taking up space. So just go with your imagination on this one and feel free to tell me about it.

Sun: Him being a stowaway was just plain dumb because it undermines the point that Blake was trying to make and the guy is supposed to be a Huntsman who wants to go into Law Enforcement so, why would he break the law?

Torchwick: I originally wanted to tell the entire rumble in the docks from his POV but it soon proved to be a poor idea. As for the warehouse scene, well I figured that since the dock's failed Roman had to have gotten the Dust from somewhere else and then I began asking myself "Where's Neo?" I realized that maybe he could have gotten the Dust from her.

Jaune's 1st Kill: The idea of Jaune killing some at the docks was always the plan however having him feel nothing is something new. I got the idea from a Fire Emblem SI fanfic Birth and Re-Death by Threedollarbratwurst, it is a great read and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys a story with great characters, drama, action and plenty of laughs.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Notes:** A bit of a shorter chapter this time but fear not, as this next of part story progresses the chapters will naturally become longer.

* * *

Ozpin was sitting at his deck deep in thought when Glynda came into the room with a mournful look on her face and holding a stack of papers was the preliminary reports about the foiled robbery at the docks and they, for the most part, praised the students of Beacon for stepping in when they did and in some cases defended the police by noting that multiple robberies were taking place at the same time. However none of that mattered to the two professors, what mattered was the loss of innocence and the grim reality that Salem was on the move, she was going to do something huge and they were still in the dark about it.

Without needing to look at his ever-faithful right hand Ozpin addressed her "Roman Torchwick and the White Fang working together? That almost seems like a bad joke and yet... to this day I still don't know how she does it. Either one I would understand, in fact, I've been worried for some time that the Fang would end in her control but, Roman as well?"

Glynda placed the documents on Ozpin's desk and began to absentmindedly sort them out "Perhaps he's not doing this willingly or maybe he was just promised something but none of that matters. What matters is the stolen Dust and the fact that our students are safe."

"How are they anyway?"

"Well Mr. Wukong from Haven is safe and the others have told me that he was of great assistance. Ms. Schnee and Ms. Belladonna have begun to bury the hatchet much to the relief of Ms. Rose and they even asked Dr. Oobleck to teach them about the history of the Faunus."

Ozpin arose from his funk to look at his second in command "Really? That's a rather pleasant surprise and what about team PRAN?"

"They are alright but Jaune killed two members of the White Fang and is taking it rather poorly," she answered with a sigh.

"Well, that's to be expected."

"It wasn't the killing that is bothering him, it was his reaction or rather a lack of a reaction that is upsetting him. I think he's worried that this is a sign that he is more Grimm than Human," she explained as she continued to arrange the documents just to keep her hands busy, "Dr. Gris wants to bring in his boyfriend to talk to Jaune."

"Dr. Riviera correct? Well then if Jaune agrees to talk to him, I have no problems. How about team RWBY?"

* * *

Making their way through the hallways was team RWBY, on the surface, they were a shining example of unity despite hardship and proof that friendship triumphed over everything. A closer look would reveal just how wrong all of that was, Blake and Weiss were walking with a clear visible distance placed between the two and standing in that gap was Yang who while smiling and joking around was always ready to catch one of the two if they tried to run. Ruby was leading the group and kept turning around to face the others, making sure that they were still there.

The truth of the matter was that the incident at the dock hurt the trust that both Ruby and Yang had for their respective partners. An apology, no matter how sincere would not even begin to cover the very real and still unresolved grievances that they had against each other, Blake was still a former agent of the White Fang and Weiss was still a Schnee. But that didn't have to be the whole story, Ruby loved her team too much to let end like this and Yang would never let Weiss or Blake continue to avoid and ignore each other letting that heartfelt apology go to waste, not while there was still something that they could do.

"We're here!" Ruby joyfully declared while standing in front of Professor's Oobelcek's classroom, Not waiting for the other to respond she opens the door and heads inside accompanied by the rest of her team and once inside they are greeted by the sight of Professor Oobleck zipping around the classroom while preparing a presentation of some sort.

"Ah, it is truly good to see such bright young people interested in history and the lesson we can learn from it! Truly splendid!" Oobleck was most certainly pleased as team RWBY got into their seats and he was even happier when the door to the classroom opened up again.

"Sorry, we're late! I was helping one of the students from Haven find his way around!"

"Nonsense! You're right on time! Please have a seat, Mr. Winchester," the Professor declared while standing right behind his desk ready to start.

Much to the surprise of the entirety of team RWBY, Cardin Winchester entered the classroom followed closely behind by the rest of his team. "Oi, hey Yang! I guess you're shocked to see us here," spoke Russell Thrush upon seeing the Blond Biker who in return gave a small wave while staring on in disbelief.

"What are you doing here," Blake demanded, nearly jumping out of her seat while doing so.

Team CRDL stared blankly at her for a bit not sure how to answer a question that they felt had just an obvious answer but, eventually Dove stepped bravely forward "We came to learn."

Ruby was getting excited "What does this mean, you guys are good guys now?"

The implication of Ruby's question stung every member of Team CRDL and even her team winced a little at that comment but, at the same time, no one standing in that room made any attempt to correct her because everyone including CRDL agreed with her. Huntsmen were supposed to be defenders of the weak, heroes to the downtrodden, they brought peace and justice to where there was none. They stood their ground and fought so that others could live to see another day and there is without a doubt that without Huntsmen Grimm would have overrun humanity a long time ago. It was a noble legacy that CRDL and countless other Huntsmen have failed to honor.

But people can change.

"Alright let's get this lecture started with a question that has a rather interesting answer." Dr. Oobleck paused for a moment to allow everyone into their seats, "How many Kingdom should there be?"

Ruby being ever so eager to please was the first to raise her hand, "Four! There are four kingdoms in total!"

"I'm sorry Ms. Rose but that answer is incorrect," Oobleck stated while drinking some coffee to hide the smirk on his face, And here it comes the ever so delightful look of confusion followed by beautiful curiosity. "You see, the question was not how many kingdoms there are but rather how many there should be." Just like he predicted there was a look of confusion on the faces of the two teams until rather unexpectedly one of them raised their hand. "Yes, Ms. Belladonna?"

"Menagerie should be counted among the kingdoms," she answered as curiosity overtook the earlier confusion.

"Menagerie? I've never heard of that kingdom," Russel spoke out loud not in a dismissive tone but instead was genuinely interested in the answer and was looking to Blake hoping for some clarity.

"It is the name of the island that was given to Faunus for their participation in the Great War. It's where I was born and raised." She answered.

Sky Lark leaned forward in his chair to get a better look at a map of the world that was now being displayed by the projector. On that map, the island of Menagerie was marked and Sky along with the rest of his team as well as most of RWBY was surprised by just how big the island was, "Wow, that is one hell of a way to say thank you."

"On the contrary Mr. Lark, the Faunus considered it to be a grave insult," Oobleck then hit a button and the map zoomed in on the island revealing that most of the island continent was just desert wastelands. "As you can see, most of the island is uninhabitable. To add further insult to injury the newly formed kingdom was all but excluded from the treaty that followed and as a result Menagerie has no Huntsman academy nor does it have a CCT, thus effectively cutting the nation off from the rest of the world. Sadly it gets worse."

The image changed again becoming a montage of newspaper clippings detailing each dated before the Faunus Rights War and each one detailing an event that would eventually lead to the war.

Even Blake who was already familiar with the subject matter was gobsmacked by just how much information was being presented right now. Mom and Dad lived through this and yet they still believed that it was possible to work things by just talking? It was a depressing thought for the Faunus, I have to fix this. This is my fault, I should have been able to stop Adam.

Dr. Oobleck looked at the two teams sitting in the classroom and paused the presentation, "This is not the first time I've held these special lessons nor will it be the last and honestly I'm happy for that. Racism is the product of ignorance and understanding why and how things are is an important part of reducing this irrational fear, mistrust and in cases hatred towards other people for what is ultimately minor differences. With the Vale Branch of the White Fang on the rise distrust towards the Faunus will also increase leading to the tension that the White Fang will, in turn, take advantage of."

A dark depressive atmosphere hung in the classroom as the weight and reality of the vicious cycle of history crept into their minds. How can this be fixed? How can anything we do ever put a dent in this? Is there a point?

Oobleck wasn't at all blind to the effects of his words on the students and he was well aware that many would call him a fool for starting this vital lesson in history in such a pessimistic tone. Quite frankly, those people were probably right, Oobleck needed to salvage the situation and fast, "I must apologize it wasn't my intention to place you all in such a state of distress. While it is true that there is still much work to be done to end this idiotic hatred toward our fellow man, it would be irresponsible for me not to acknowledge the work that has already been done." Now that he had their attention once more he could rectify this wrong "We have come so far from when we caged the Faunus simply for being Faunus and even though there have been attempts to return to that barbaric age all have failed. Despite the efforts of those ruled by hate, people are becoming more and more educated and aware. Look at yourself, this isn't an actual class, none of you had to be here and yet! You're here because you chose to stop living in hateful ignorance, you all chose to be better than the ones who came before you. Now let's begin this lesson properly."

* * *

Jaune was not generally a happy or warm person, on his worst days he was distant and on his best days, he was cautious. The truly sad thing about it was that it wasn't who he was, the real Jaune was someone kind, sincere, bright and warm, but he held back and kept others at an arm's length almost as if he was trying to protect others from himself. Certain people like Ozpin and Qrow knew the truth and the others such as Pyrrha and Ruby were told a white necessary lie.

However Jaune was getting better, he was connecting to his team and forming friends. The Jaune that they knew at the beginning of Beacon was slowly but surely becoming a memory, the kind thing that in the future they might have teased him in a friendly joking the Docks happened and Jaune reverted right back into the recluse he was at the beginning.

I'm supposed to feel something, right? Why don't I feel anything?

In the library of Beacon, there exists an extensive collection on the subject of psychology with and a rather large part of that section was dedicated to the complex subcategory of Huntsmen's Psychology. It is here that Pyrrha could be found studying with the aid of her teammate Lie Ren while Nora kept vigilance on their final comrade, Jaune had made so much progress and they would not let him regress.

It wasn't hard for them to find the information they were looking for, Huntsmen, after all, have to fight people as well as Grimm. Criminals trying to escape the law by hiding in the wilds, Bandits and even Black Market Dealers were things that might lie in the future of any aspiring Huntsmen and a violent encounter was all but promised. Death happens and everyone responds to it differently and surprisingly Pyrrha and Ren soon found that Jaune's reaction was a normal one.

"So it's not his semblance, oh that's a relief!" Pyrrha allowed herself to sink back into the chair with a content sigh.

Ren, however, took note of her words, "You thought that he's semblance might be the cause?"

"What? No, I- I'm sorry. That came out the wrong way." After taking a moment to think of what she was going to say, she turned to face Ren who was sitting across from her. "I know that his semblance had nothing to do with it, but he thinks it did. This book, however," she held up the book in question so that Ren could better see it, "makes it clear that it simply isn't the case. No semblance has ever been discovered that could do it and when you consider that aura and semblance come from the soul, it's no surprise."

Ren gave his leader's explanation some thought, That makes sense. Even my Semblance cannot remove an emotion, only lessen it. But, where does that leave Jaune? If his semblance isn't the cause then that would mean that we saw his natural reaction…

"Ren? What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked with a tinge of concern on her face.

"If his semblance was not the reason for his reaction or rather lack of a reaction, then that implies... That-"

Pyrrha cut him right off, "Ren! Jaune is not some sort of Psycho!"

"I wasn't going to say that, though I understand why you'd assume that and I apologize." Ren waited to see if she would accept his apology and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when she did. "What I meant to say was this might be more difficult now that semblances are out of the question."

"He'll be alright, he might need some help but that's what we're here for. To help each other out!"

"But can we help him with this?"

* * *

There was a certain spot in Beacon that was special to several students, it was their secret place where they could escape from the chaos that was a Huntsmen Academy just to have a nice quiet moment on their own or with friends. At this particular moment in time, the secret spot on the roof was Jaune's oasis or rather he wanted it to be.

Despite his efforts to think about anything else other than the Docks his mind kept returning to the fight, replaying it over and over again while asking the same question: Why?

If I had been paying better attention, I wouldn't have been ambushed and could avoid killing them. He had been in a rush back there and trying to subdue someone is harder than trying to kill them, maybe it was the noise of his previous takedowns that alerted them or maybe they were already lying in wait for someone to pass by their hiding place behind a shipping container. Either way, it didn't matter, Jaune was forced into a fight for his life when a machete struck his shoulder as he tried to run past. The masked grunt wasn't by any means skilled and all it took was a shield shove to get some distance between himself and the White Fang agent, then he was shot.

The dust round impacted against Jaune's armor which held strong against the bullets, a true testament to the workmanship of the smith. Turning around to face his new foe Jauen, left himself open to the machete-wielding grunt had recovered and struck at the foolish huntsman-in-training who now found himself beset on both sides. Then came a third cry as yet another member of the White Fang was rushing in to assist her brothers in killing the wannabe knight. Soon all three were charging at him and then in a moment, it was all over.

The one with a machete had left himself open and Corcea Mors struck true and pinned the aggressor onto the wall of the Storage Unit. Shots rang out from the gunman eager to avenge his brother but he got too close and the edge of Jaune's shield struck the man's neck, breaking it. The gunman's finger never left the trigger and as he fell the third and final grunt was killed by friendly fire.

It took Jaune a moment to process everything that had just happened and even after he had come to grips with it, he just stood there waiting. Back then at that moment, he had no idea what he was waiting for. Now days later he understood, he was waiting for the emotional rush that never came. Back in the present, sitting in his secret spot overlooking the Emerald Forest he was still waiting.

Unbeknownst to the Knight was not alone, Nora had been watching him the whole time by the request of Pyrrha just in case something happened. The truth be told, Nora did not like this assignment. It felt like a lack of faith in their friend but, now looking at him she realized why Pyrrha asked and why Ren insisted. Coming out of her hiding spot she walked over to Jaune and sat down next to him, she didn't say anything, If he wants to talk, then we'll talk.

The pair sat in silence for a while and like she'd hoped her presence was proving to be a comfort to Jaune. Eventually, Jaune spoke up, "I'm sorry."

Nora winced, she didn't like what was coming but held back from saying anything, Let'em vent first. It will make him feel better and then I can tell him what big dummy he's being and then we'll hug it out.

Not noticing her discomfort Jaune kept going, "I'm sorry for being such a broken fucking mess, I'm sorry for constantly holding everyone else back. I just… I just keep-"

"Don't you dare say it," Nora's anger surprised Jaune. "Don; 't you even think for a moment that it was your fault, it wasn't! You never got to choose your semblance, no one gets to choose their semblance so don't even toy with the idea that you're somehow guilty!"

"I Know That! I know there was nothing wrong with killing them! But people are supposed to react to something like that! I was supposed to feel something! I took three lives, Nora! Three people who were only fighting for a cause that they believed in are never going home, and I feel nothing!"

The pair sat in silence for a bit, "You know Jaune… I've killed people too," Nora admitted much to Jaune shock and visible disbelief. "You already know that Ren and I are orphans but what we never told you is how we were also homeless. Mistral isn't a very friendly place for those down on their luck and two scared kids trapped in the wilderness…" Nora paused for a moment and closed her eyes calling back memories of that time, they weren't happy ones.

"We were hungry and we found this house where we met this woman and she… tricked us. She pretended to be nice, she fed us and offered to let us stay the night. We were so happy, we thought… that we found a home. But instead of a warm bed, there was a cold cage." She took a moment to look at Jaune and nearly gasped when she saw that his eyes were now copper, Wait I remember this, his eyes get like this when he is angry. Is my story making him angry?

"Nora," Jaune's voice brought her out of her thoughts, "Please don't take this the wrong way but, please tell me that Bitch dies at the end."

Nora could help but smile, "Yup she sure does, I mean Duh! Otherwise how else are Renny and I here at Beacon? Unless we're ghosts! But, why would a ghost choose to haunt school that had nothing to do with their death? Don't get me wrong Jaune, I love this school but I wouldn't cross an ocean just haunt it as a ghost!"

A moment to forget and a good dose of laughter was something that Jaune was in desperate need of, it wouldn't make his problem disappear but at least it helped remind him that he was still human. Nora would have loved to just spend the rest of the time swapping fun stories but the story she was already telling had a point that she needed to get to.

"So, what happened?" Jaune asked, "I know that you both make it out. I mean, you are physically here in Beacon, so your story does have a happy ending but what happened. Did someone come and rescue you?"

"Nobody recused us," she answered quickly and grimly. "What happened was that after a while she'd tried to take Ren and leave me in the cage. We fought back and in the fight we killed her, then we ran out of that damned house and just kept running until we found a town."

"Nora… I-"

"And can you guess what the real kicker is? I liked it! I was happy no, Thrilled when some of the townsfolk found that bitch dead on the floor and when a doctor declared the cause of death to be blunt force trauma I felt giddy because that meant that I was the one that killed her. Shortly afterward Renny and I were on the move again, kicked out of the town for having blood on our hands."

"But it was self-defense! What else were you supposed to do? Not kill her? Were you supposed to cry over the news of her death!?" Jaune was couldn't believe what he just heard, How stupid were those people!?

"I could ask the same about you Jaune. What were you supposed to do? Grieve for the death of those who wanted you and your friends dead?"

Jaune thought long and hard about it, Nora's right about not feeling sorry for them but, then again that isn't my problem… but what is my problem? Earlier I was thinking about how I could have avoided that fight entirely but, honestly if I found myself fighting them again… I'd kill them again. I don't regret killing them… oh… it's my body... That's the problem.

"You look like you figured something out," Nora remarked.

"Yeah, I think I know what my problem is, now comes the hard part."

Nora placed her hand on his shoulder and let it sit there for a moment before drawing him in for a hug, "We're here for you Jaune, no matter what happens or how long this takes we're going to help you out."

"Thank you, Nora."

* * *

"Let's see what darling has been hiding from me," the man spoke as he expertly opened up the locked cabinet containing physical copies of the medical records of every single student currently in Beacon, at least the ones whose last name started with an "A". "Ah, there you are, Jaune Arc! But first, let's make some fucking tea." With the folder in his hands, he walked through the medical ward and over to the faucet that the Doctor and Nurses would use to wash their hands and filled a beer mug with water and then walked over to the waiting room where there was a microwave for anyone who wanted to warm up snacks. He placed the mug in the microwave and had a short but pleasant chat with a young man in the waiting room.

A mere few minutes later and the man was sitting comfortably down on one of the empty patient beds reading through Jaune's file while occasionally stopping to drink some hot tea from the beer mug. "Foreign tissue of neither human or Faunus origin, internal organs being repurposed? Spinal cord compromised, nervous system-"

"Babe, da fuck yer doing?" asked a rather irritate Dr. Gris as he looked at the annoying calm and just a little smug figure of his boyfriend Dr. Daniel "Danny" Riviera.

"Well, if I am to help this boy, I need to know what I'm dealing with. Also, I simply didn't feel like dealing with Ozpin's cloak and dagger shenanigans," he answered before taking another sip of tea.

"Ya do realize that der is a reason fer dat secrecy bullshit. Hell, ya got the file! Ya don't need me to tell ya what's going on here!" an exacerbated Gris sat down on the bed next to Riviera and peeked to see what section he was on, "If ya think dat's bad, wait till ya git to his aura."

"What's wrong with it?"

"It doesn't work! Instead, he got high-speed regeneration which isn't as helpful as ya might think."

"And yet, he's still enrolled despite the elevated risks and certain pain, how does he handle Goodwitch's class?"

"Ummm, not every well," Gris shyly admitted.

"Well he does agree to see me I'll be able to ask him then but, that's all later." Riveria closed the file and handed it back to Gris before asking him a question, "In your professional opinion not as a doctor but rather as a Huntsman. What's bothering him."

Gris took a moment to consider the facts of the situation, Nothing bout wat happened at the docks is anything new. The difference is da boy. "Not aving any feelings after a first kill ain't anything new. Hell, I was downright giddy after my first kill. It's the hybridization das the problem ere, it been messing wit his head in odd but predictable ways. I think dat we are looking ere is fear. Fear dat his lack of a reaction is the result of his condition, dat he's been changed in a way dat makes him… no longer human."

"Well, Duh!" Riviera declared with a roll of his eyes much to the annoyance of his boyfriend.

"Then why ask me?"

"Two reasons with the first being that even if it's obvious it always better ask for the second opinion especially when it comes to mental health. Second, I just like hearing your voice."

Gris got up from the bed and started walking away, "Nope. Not right ere, not right now and especially not on that bed."

"Spoilsport."

Dr. Gris was walking towards the door but stopped and took a look back at Riviera. The man wasn't a huntsman which under normal situations was never a real issue as a psychologist Riviera had no need to weapons, armor or even aura but, Jaune was far from a normal situation, "Listen to me, dat kid you'll be talking to got a situation dat's far more complicated than you know."

"Oh? How so?" Riviera asked, genuinely interested.

"Nothing dat happened to em was natural and it wasn't some kinda accident either. Somebody did dis to em dat somebody is still out there. You get wat I'm trying to say?"

...There was a stretch of silence that would have never anyone that didn't know Dr. Riviera well enough, since Gris was dating the man he naturally was excluded from that category and was hoping for this very response. It means that he listened, that he understood and that he was fucking pissed. He was pissed by the cruelty of the event and furious that he couldn't go and find whoever was doing experiments on people and drag them to the cops himself if he had the strength.

"I don't care who it was, make them pay. You, Ozpin, Goodwhitch and whoever else is in this little club of your had better make damn sure that whoever was behind this, dies. Not arrested or confined or even disabled, they need to die. I'm well aware that I would just drag you all down but Gris, take that ax of your and take their head. Got It?" Rivera asked.

"Dat was my plan from da every beginning."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So this chapter and the next few ones are transitory to help go from Vol1 of RWBY to Vol2. My intentions from this point onwards are to try and slow the story down a little to give time for everything to grow at a natural pace while exploring some interesting angles that weren't seen in the show while of course guiding this train off of the rails and into a ditch.

Oh, and don't worry about Riviera 's lack of a description (I wanted to include it but I couldn't find a spot where it felt natural) as that will come in the next chapter.

As for Jaune, well I'm not going to keep kicking him around just for giggles (I promise Nothing!).


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes:** To the Guest who left the question last chapter, I was going to answer it here but it got a little unexpectedly long so I put it at the bottom.

* * *

"Attention! It's time for stage one of Operation Beat the Bad Guys!" Ruby happily announced to both Weiss who was feeling rather conflicted at the moment. On the one hand, she appreciated how Ruby had the sense of mind to understand the importance of a strategy meeting but she was also rather concerned by her leader's gleeful attitude and the fact that said leader was currently wearing what appeared to be some sort of costume which seemed to resemble that of a military officer. It's too big to be hers and too small to be Yang's Where did she even find that? And where on earth is Blake?

And then there was Yang who was busy taking pictures of Ruby to send to their dad later. "Hey, Rubes! Try pointing at something and shouting ``You're Under Arrest!" Yang called out while moving to yet another spot in the room to get a good angle for the picture.

"C'mon Yaaang take this seriously," Ruby was pouting a little before a tiny smile formed on her face and she suddenly spun and struck a pose while pointing right at Weiss and shouting "You're Under Arrest!" She held the pose for a few seconds before relaxing and bursting out into giggles with her older sister.

The door to the dorm opened up and Blake walked in dragging with her a Whiteboard covered with a bit of cloth, "Sorry for being a bit late, I was busy trying to get this-" Blake saw the uniform that Ruby was wearing and immediately went pale, "W-Where did you get that?"

Ruby turned to Blake, "Well I found it hidden behind the drawer, is it yours?"

Without any hesitation, Yang moved in like a predator and with the biggest 'shit-eating grin' the former White Fang Agent has ever seen ask "Soooo, Blake. Why do you have this costume? Is it a hobby of yours? Or maybe it is something you like to do for your lovers?"

Blake didn't say anything she didn't have to, ironically her attempts to hide her embarrassment and blushing face only served to emphasize both and the meaning was not lost on anyone.

Even Ruby was slowly becoming more and more uncomfortable in the uniform as it dawned on her what Blake had used this costume for, "This is just a costume, right? You… you didn't do anything while wearing this, right?" She stared at Blake, looking for anything that would grant her any relief.

"Ruby… I'm so sorry but-,"

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" There was a flash of crimson, a shower of petals, the slamming of a door and all followed with "GEt it Off! Get It off! Get this GodDamn thing off of me!"

It would take another 30 minutes for Yang to stop laughing, another 10 minutes for Ruby to get the outfit of herself and burn it to oblivion through the use of some Flame Dust graciously donated by Weiss without her permission, 20 minutes after that said heiress became willing to start speaking with any of them again and finally one complete hour to drag Blake back inside the room after she had fled when no one was looking. Had they not taken the effort to clear their day and get ahead of all work in preparation for this meeting, they might have been in trouble.

"Sooooo, Blake. Why do you have that costume? Was it for yourself? Or maybe for someone else?" Yang asked with a smirk.

Resisting the urge to throw herself out of the window for the second time today Blake ignored Yang's question and pulled the cover off of the whiteboard revealing charts and several lists of names. She then pulled out a ruler and pointed towards the board, "This is a list of common tactics that the Vale Branch of White Fang likes to employ," Ruby's hand shot up to ask a question, "Yes Ruby?"

"Why did you say Branch? Everyone else refers to them as just the White Fang."

"That's because most people don't know how the White Fang works. As for the Branches, it's important to differentiate between them since they all tend to work both separately and employ different tactics. Though they all have their separate leadership, Sienna Khan who's stationed in Mistral is the Chief, at least she is in theory."

"What do you mean in theory?" Weiss asked.

With a sigh, Blake pointed to a section listing the various upper echelons of White Fang, "In actuality, Sienna cannot possibly manage everyone at every time, the organization is too far widespread and unnecessary communication would lead to discovery. As a result, every Branch operates independently which leads to things like the Branch in Vacuo remaining mostly unchanged while the Atlas Branch was until certainly, the most militaristic."

Both Wiess and Yang raised their hands together to ask a question. For a moment Blake was worried that the two would fall into a pointless argument and was a little surprised when Yang motioned to Wiess to ask her question first.

"What do you mean when you say that the Vacuo Branch was unchanged?"

"Huh, I expected you to ask about the Atlas Branch," admitted Blake.

"I thought of it, but all my life I was told and believed that the White Fang was completely evil. Then you happened and now I'm being told that at some point they changed, it's a lot to take in and I can't afford to remain ignorant," the Heiress explained.

Blake was taken aback, Dad always believed that our enemies were just ignorant, that if we reached out to them they would eventually reach back to us. That together we'd realize that in the end Humans and Faunus were just people. Dad was wrong… but maybe he wasn't completely wrong. "Professor Oobleck is probably going to mention this soon but, originally the White Fang was a humanitarian organization dedicated to providing aid to Faunus communities and improving Faunus and Human Relations." Blake then turned to her partner, " Yang, I believe you had a question?"

"Yeah, but I might have another question depending on your answer to this one, is that okay?" the brawler then went silent waiting for Blake's response.

"Go right ahead."

Surprising everyone in the room except Ruby, Yang rather than asking the question instead got up and walked over to the whiteboard and began to study it. After a few brief moments, she turned to Blake, "You were a part of the Vale Branch." It wasn't a question but rather a statement and she was completely right.

"Um, Yang why does it matter which branch she was a part of?" Ruby asked, confused by her older sister's actions.

Yang in response walked back over to her little sister and sat down next to her before flashing a smile, "Relax Rubes. I'm not made at Blake or anything, I just wanted to be sure I understood what was on the actual questions are: Was it the Vale branch that Militarized and if so what happened?"

Before Blake could answer Ruby's hand shot up, "Shouldn't we get Pyrrha and her team here? They did help us back at the docks, oh! We should also get Penny and that guy who helped Weiss!"

"His name is Sun and you're right Ruby, he would be an excellent addition to the team," Weiss agreed to the surprise, or in Yang's case amusement, of the rest of the team. "Look, Sun is training to be a detective and he is a capable fighter not to mention since he is a Faunus with no prior ties to the White Fang he would be able to gather information without rousing any suspicion!"

Ruby was about to leap up and begin listing the qualifications of everyone that they could recruit but Blake decided to cut her off to get the conversation back on track. "Guys please focus! We don't have any idea what we are going to do and already you're planning on dragging others into it?" shouted Blake. "After we form a plan, then we can talk about who we should ask for help. Deal?"

"Deal," they spoke in unison.

Blake then turned her attention over the whiteboard and the information written on it, "Now back to Yang's questions, yes it was the Vale Branch that underwent radical militarization and the cause is…," she paused for a moment as her finger hovered over a certain name, Adam Taurus. What are you waiting for, just say it! It was his fault, I know it was his fault but… Blake snapped herself out of those unwanted thoughts and continued, "Major Adam Taurus he was placed in command of that particular branch, he was the one who transformed it and he is someone that we must avoid fighting at all costs."

"Well that's just natural, we are after all just students. Quite frankly we shouldn't be fighting any of them if we can avoid it and before you bring it up! I acknowledge my participation with the Docks and my only regret is the circumstances which brought us all there." Weiss declared much to the disappointment of Yang and Ruby who were eager to point out the event.

"Look what we need right now is information and to find that information we need to find the White Fang and to do that, we need to know where they are operating. Fortunately thanks to the ongoing Dust Robberies and especially the Docks incident we know that storage is amongst the top of their concerns," Blake stated.

"Well, in that case, leave it to me," said Weiss. "No one knows more about Dust than I do and my Father is doubtlessly awaiting a report from me, at least now something helpful can come from one of those damned sessions," she spat out that last part with open disgust.

Yang was the next to volunteer, "Well, in that case, I'll start asking around the student body. There is no way that we're the only ones who've had a run-in with these guys and at least one of them got to have a few ideas."

Ruby then got up and ran over to Blake, "In that case, you're coming with me! Tell me everything about them, their tactics, their weapons, their armor, and their weapons!"

"You said weapons twice…"

"I know! Now come on and give me what you got! I got weapons to Tune! Team attacks to plan, oh maybe we can even make some costumes!" with that Ruby pulled her teammate over to the whiteboard, "Now what kind of weapon does Adam use? How does he use it?"

"Well, I guess I'll get started too," Yang got up and made her way to the door, "Team CFVY is preparing for a long term mission but I think I can grab em before they leave."

"I suppose there is no reason for me to delay any further," spoke Weiss as she got up to walk to the door with Yang, "Since I'll be outside, I think I'll also try and get some police reports."

"Sorry, princess but only citizens of Vale can request those," Yang said to Wiess as the two walked out of the door. "That said my dad and uncle are both Huntsmen, I'll ask them to submit an expedited request to you since we'll get it much faster that way."

"Thank you, Yang. I'll compile a list for you when I'm done with my dad."

With that, both Yang and Weiss left the room to get started on their parts while Blake and Ruby got started on what would be the first of many strategy sessions and for the first time in a very long time Blake allowed herself to relax, Humans will only ever let you down. You're wrong Adam, you're wrong about them. We'll see darling. Don't you dare call me that! And why would I stop when deep down you still wish to stand by my side…

"Blake? Are you okay?" Ruby innocently asked when she saw a moment of conflict race across her teammate's face.

"I'm alright, Ruby you don't have to worry about me," Blake lied.

* * *

Entering the office of Beacon's newest resident Psychologist made Jaune a little nervous, now he was no stranger to psychologists. When you lived in a world where actual monsters were drawn in by your own negative emotions it is only common sense that mental health would be considered a national priority. Mental health would often be the deciding factor whether a new settlement lived or died. Emotional and Mental health was at the center of the Great War but that was history and Jaune's concerns lied in the present.

On an instinctual level, he knew that he was being ridiculous with just how paranoid he was about how the session might go, If they were going to expel or even arrest me they would have done so days ago. Besides this is just a first session, the only thing Riviera is going to do is ask a few basic questions to get an idea of what they are dealing with. With that final thought, Jaune summoned up his courage and stepped through the door and into the office.

There was nothing really special about the office itself other than just how plain and empty it was, in fact, the more Jaune looked around the more the emptiness of the office stood out to the point that he began to wonder if he had somehow entered into the wrong office or maybe it was the date that he got wrong and he came early. So he pulled out his scroll and went over to his calendar to check the date only to find that there was no mistake… "Where is he?"

"Are you Jaune?" a voice came from behind a door that was behind the desk, it was a door that was featured in many other offices but Jaune had no idea what it was for.

"Yes! Are you Dr. Riviera?"

"That I am! Please make yourself comfortable, would you like some tea? I've got a nice pot all ready to go."

"I would love some!" He looked for a seat where he could sit down for a little while before deciding just to take a seat in front of the desk.

Soon the door opened up and emerged was a bald bright-eyed man with an impressively large stylized beard carrying two beer mugs filled with a reddish tea. The man who Jaune assumed was Dr. Rivera walked over to the desk and instead of sitting behind it took a seat next to Jaune and offered him the mug which was graciously accepted. After taking a moment to let the tea cool the two then took a nice long sip before finally beginning.

"So, as you probably guessed I am Dr. Thomas Rivera, please just call me whatever you'd like but, I hope it's Rivera."

"Um, okay but why though?"

"Well let me ask you, between Tom and Riviera which name sounds sexier?"

"Point taken," Jaune admitted with a chuckle.

"Now before we begin let me get this out of the way, my boyfriend Gris filled me in on your unique situation, I want to assure you that we are looking for the one who did this to you and I can guarantee that the only thing waiting for them is an unmarked grave."

"That's… morbid, but I'd be lying if I said that I thought that the thought wasn't appealing," Jaune admitted, Does wishing for his death make me a bad person or is it Grimm part of me that wants it?

"The desire for revenge is perfectly normal and given your circumstances I'd say it would even be healthy to want him or her or them dead," Riviera's response surprised Jaune. Fortunately, the Doctor saw what he did and clarified, "I'd be a poor psychologist if I couldn't read basic facial expressions, look there is no such thing as an unhealthy emotion."

Jaune just looked incredulously at the psychologist, "Negative emotions attract Grimm."

"Tell me Jaune, when you were growing up did you ever feel angry or sad?"

"Of course I did! Everyone's felt that way before."

"And were you attacked by a Grimm every single time?"

"No… I wasn't… Come to think of it, even my condition doesn't react every single time I feel angry." Jaune began to look over his hands as he mentally reconstructed very single incident where his Grimm side reared its ugly face, I was panicking when I woke up in the forest, Initiation was a rollercoaster of stress, and every episode I had since coming to Beacon only ever happened when I was either incredibly worried or stressed!

"Looks like you figured it out, though I'll admit that is just a theory of mine, for now, all of that is a problem for later. Now let's begin with some basic questions. First would like some more tea or perhaps a snack? I haven't exactly settled in just yet as you can see," he motioned towards the nearly empty office that they were occupying.

Well, that's one mystery solved.

"But I do still have some oranges and an unopened bag of peanuts you want some?"

"I'll take the peanuts and some more tea please!" Jaune replied only now realizing just how hungry he was.

Dr. Riviera then got up from his seat and began to make his way back to the door that he first emerged from, "While I'm doing this why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

"Well to start with I grew up in the town of Ansel and I have seven sisters and in all honesty, I don't have much to complain about, apart from my dad not wanting me to be a huntsman."

"I most certainly understand that thought, though I admit that I'm still a little surprised to hear that last part," Rivira answered from behind the door that had been left open. "Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought your family came from a long line of warriors," The Doctor emerged from the door carrying a bowl with a bag of peanuts inside said bowl in one hand and the other he carried a pitcher containing what Jaune assumed to be tea.

Jaune quickly got up to help Rivera who graciously accepted and within moments the two were once again sipping hot tea from their beer mugs while cracking open peanuts and discarding the shells into the bowl. "Well to answer your question about my family, yes we were warriors but my dad decided not to follow in his mother's footsteps and became an accountant instead. Funny enough grandma was quite happy with his career choice."

"I'd imagine that would be the case, no one wants to think of their kids fighting for their lives. Though I guess that's just part of what makes a Huntsman a Huntsman. The willingness to constantly put their lives on the line so frequently and constantly. It's even worse when you're fighting other people."

And there it was, the reason for Rivera's presence in Beacon, the reasons for Jaune's visit and the reason why his team has been spending time reading up on mental health. The Dock, the Deaths and his utter lack of emotional response towards the lives he had taken. On an intellectual level, Jaune knew that he was in no trouble at all, after all that night he merely performed the duties that were expected of all Huntsmen even though he was still one in training. Furthermore, the investigation into the incident revealed that what had happened was unquestionably self-defense and as a result, there were no problems both physically and legally.

Mentally however the situation was messed up… he didn't want to be here but Jaune was far too tired of being afraid of his own mind.

"When I killed them… I wasn't really thinking about it. Honestly, I'm not sure I ever intended for them to die… no, I'm certain of it. I found myself in a bad position and I just wanted out," he stopped to take one final long sip of tea finding himself appreciating the calming effect it was having on him. I'm going to need to ask Riviera what kind of tea this is though maybe I shouldn't tell Ren about the Beer Mugs. "When it was all over, I was trying to process everything that had happened. Trying to figure out how it came to this, how I could have done better, how I could've avoided the situation entirely."

"If only Glynda could hear you now, she'd probably give you some extra credit," Rivera spoke kindly letting Jaune know that it was a true compliment.

"But at the same time, I was waiting for it to finally hit me… I was waiting for a reaction that never came and honestly, I'm not even sure what kind of reaction I was looking for."

"As long as you felt anything at all?"

"Yes… anything would have been better than feeling nothing at all because I would have… I would have felt… human." Jaune admitted.

"Given your special circumstances, I don't blame you for looking for some form of confirmation... No, you are perhaps the single most justified person in the world. Though I have to ask, does this one experience invalidate everything else?"

Everything else… Jaune was now in deep thought, Ever since I came here my emotions have been all over the place. I've been pissed, scared, sad and even so happy that I started crying which is something I never thought I'd never experience. Have I become even more emotional since the incident? I must have, me before the incident would have also reacted similarly to the same situations but to get angry enough that I'd beat a Grimm to death with a rock? I'd never been that angry before.

There were two major reasons why psychologists who specialize in huntsmen were rare, the first reason was that huntsmen simply had a different mental state compared to most people. To willingly dedicate yourself to constant training so you could fight actual monsters in a literal never-ending war against an inhuman enemy who wanted you dead just because you exist and choosing that instead of simply living a normal life behind the walls wasn't something that most people could even imagine themselves doing. And the second reason was sad that such a job was often depressing.

Despite their larger than life personas and flat out superhuman abilities huntsmen were still at the end of the day very much people and people get hurt, sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally. Problems he had seen in the past included the inability to connect with regular people which often resulted in huntsmen seeking companionship in each other but, with the job being as dangerous as it was... survivor's guilt was a common problem. However, there were also moments like this, moments when your client was on the verge of a breakthrough or in Jaune's case about to take that important first step and the knowledge that you were the one who helped them reach this point. That is what kept Dr. Riviera going.

"Um. Rivera, I have a question."

"Ask me anything."

"So looking back at my time here at Beacon, I think that instead of losing some control I've instead become more sensitive to my own emotions," Jaune spoke slowly, not completely sure if he was explaining himself well.

Deciding to give the young man a push the doctor spoke up, "Well it's too early to assume anything right now, but your record here does suggest that. However, it could also just be the result of stress but that's why I'm here. To help any way I can."

"But then that would mean that my reaction or lack of reaction… was me. It wasn't my… condition because it doesn't give me emotions, it just heightens the ones that are already there… it can't do anything if there was no emotion to heighten..."

Dr. Rivera was becoming worried as he dutifully listens on, Whether he is right or not doesn't matter, rather how he handles this will make everything either easier or so much harder. I need to make him understand that what he experienced was natural, it doesn't make him a psycho!

"My condition had nothing to do with it. I felt nothing because that's just the kind of person I am, someone who can take lives and not feel a fucking thing…how did I become so broken?" Jaune had reached the conclusion that Rivera feared.

"So what does that make people like Qrow?" Rivera asked.

"You know him?"

"I met him through Gris and let me tell you right now if he was in your position, Qrow would not be bothered at all with killing those two. He would be cracking jokes about how the third one was killed by friendly fire. Yet, he found you lost in the woods and gave you food, shelter and even trained you in the basics. He went as far as to vouch for you and he has been the most active in trying to track down the one who did this to you. So what does that make him?"

"Qrow's a drunk," the boy pointed out.

"And he is still a good man who believed and trusted you enough to help you get into Beacon despite his precious nieces also attending. I believe you have been acquainted with them: Yang Xiao Long and her little sister Ruby Rose?"

"He's their uncle?"

"And he's a good man and if I can be frank for a moment, so are you."

Jaune didn't know what to say to that, truth be told he never once considered himself to be a bad person, Just a potentially inhuman monster but most certainly not a bad person, who are you kidding? You don't think you're good, you sometimes believe that you're a danger to everyone around you. What happened at the Docks only cemented what you've been afraid of; Yourself.

There it was, the absolute truth. Jaune was afraid of himself and has always been, he was afraid he was so afraid that he would never earn a spot in Beacon that he convinced himself that a Fake Transcript would be the only way he could get in. When he got that acceptance letter he was afraid that it was all some kind of dream that he'd wake up from so he went drinking and now…

Jaune was tired of being scared, so he took the first step.

* * *

Describing the feelings that Jaune was having as he walked towards Beacon's spacious dining hall would be difficult. This was mostly due to just how many of these feelings he had and how so many of them seem to contradict each other. The realization that he was his source of fear worried him but, at the same time, it brought him a degree of comfort. How is that even possible? Perhaps he was just overthinking it, It is possible to be excited and a little shy at the same time, like when you're about to go on stage and you feel butterflies in your stomach. Yeah, that kinda what I'm feeling, butterflies.

"Hey! Dude! Dude Wait Up!"

Jaune turned around and found that two guys were approaching him, one was a Faunus whose tan skin, blond hair and exposed abs reminded him of surfers. He was at the Docks but I don't think I ever caught his name. The other guy was someone that Jaune didn't know, but the man just oozed cool with a stylish blue haircut, Goggles, and Red Jacket.

"Um, can I help you?" Jaune asked.

"Nah, man I just wanted to properly introduce myself since I didn't get a chance back at the Docks! The name is Sun Wukong!" he then offered Jaune a fist bump which was quickly returned.

"And I'm Neptune Vasilias and Sun told me all about both team RWBY and PRAN. You guys sound almost as crazy as us!" Neptune also offered Jaune a fist bump which was graciously returned.

"Well, then my name is Jaune Arc! Thanks for the assist back at the Docks Sun and Neptune, how are you enjoying Vale?"

"Well, I just got here so I haven't seen anything yet but, with guys like you around I think I'll have my hands full just trying to keep up with everything. If you're not busy, how about you join me and Sun for lunch, maybe we can swap stories?"

"I was actually heading to the cafeteria myself to rejoin the rest of my team. I'll introduce you!" Jaune happily agreed.

"Alright time to find out how Team PRAN stacks up against SSSN!" Wukong declared as the trio made their way toward the cafeteria.

"Wait, your team is called SSSN?"

"Yeah, it's… a little confusing and frustrating at times, especially when we get in trouble. The Professor will be like: Will Sun stay after class and then get even more pissed when we misunderstand and the whole team stays or only Sun." Neptune shyly admitted.

"The leader of team RWBY is named Ruby."

Neptune just started at Jaune for a few seconds before they burst into laughter and soon after Sun joined in the laughter as well, "Really!? I always thought Lionheart was the only one who did that!"

*CRASH* *SPLAT* *SMASH* *CRUNCH*

The three of them were brought back to reality by the sounds of fighting taking place behind the large double doors which separated the dining hall from the hallway. With just a brief stint of hesitation, the trio walked up the doors and pushed them open and saw before them a food fight. No, it was a warzone.

Tables were flipped over creating barricades and even in one case a fortress, plates, cutlery, and food were projectiles that would have been dangerous for anyone who wasn't a huntsman, trays became shields and the students were all now soldiers fighting for their self appointed most bizarre thing however was the complete lack of any faculty in the dining hall.

After surveying the battlefield the three men gathered their wits and sought out the tools necessary for survival: A Baguette Sword and a Tray Shield for Jaune, A Pair of Sausage Nunchucks for Sun and a Mighty Salmon for Neptune. With their preparations made the three Comrades in arms made a silent vow to survive together and with a powerful cry they charged in.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So I just wanted to take a moment to answer a question left by "Guest," the last chapter on Dr. Riviera and the answer goes back to the reason I started writing Fan Fiction and it was was to improve my overall storytelling ability by writing genres and scenarios I normally wouldn't while also experimenting with characters. This is also why I'm writing, for now, RWBY Fics since the setting is rather flexible and the characters are fun and easy to play around with while keeping in character.

Till now, I have never tried writing an openly homosexual couple and I felt that it was time to fix that. Dr. Gris was always meant to be homosexual but he wasn't always a doctor my original version of the story had him as the huntsman who found Jaune in the woods instead of Qrow. In that version Gris mentions that he had a boyfriend but said lover would have never made an appearance and eventually Gris would fade into the background after Jaune joined Beacon.

That was unacceptable (and a waste of Gris since he is fun to write) and so I decided to make the changes that resulted in their roles now.

TL;DR

Yes, but actually No.


	17. Chapter 17

"Geeze, talk about cliche!" Roman Torchwick spoke to his partner in crime Neo who was trailing behind enjoying a scoop of ice cream as the pair made their way into a dark and incredibly suspicious warehouse that was crawling with guards. "Seriously, could that bitch try any harder to be obviously evil? I mean look at this place Neo it looks like it came out of some stupid movie or a crappy dime-store crime novel, it's just embarrassing!"

Neo agreed with everything that Torchwick had to say about their current boss but she kept wondering why he insisted on continuing to work with that woman? If Cinder was as bad he constantly made her out to be then why haven't they ditched her yet? It wasn't like she actually cared one way or the other so long as at the end of the day she and Torchwick were in it together.

The interior of the warehouse was an absolute cliche, the dust, the crates, the bad electricity and everything else that someone whose only experience with warehouses was movies, might expect to see. "Look at this Neo! Just where are these animals getting their interior decorating advice from?"

She looked around and took notice of the poor electrical work and a rickety staircase that looked more akin to a death trap. This entire warehouse was something that should have been torn down years ago! Though maybe that's how the White Fang was able to get their hands on it, in fact, given the poor condition of the place she wouldn't be surprised if she found out that the original owners just gave the place away so it wouldn't be their responsibility anymore.

Soon the two sound the meeting spot, a solitary table with some chairs and a single dim light bulb illuminating the otherwise dark room. "Sweet Oum! I was just joking about cliches but this! This is boarding on plain offensive! In fact, I am feeling offended! I am actually offended by this room! How is that even possible?"

Neo quickly checked her scroll just to make sure that they were actually in the right place and became upset when she found that yes, this shit hole was the actual location. However they were early, so she walked right to Roman, poked him in the side and shoved her scroll into his face. He then bent down to see what she wanted, "Neo what's-!" He stared at the scroll's clock for only a moment before he figured out. "We're early! Though not by much… shit, we're going to have to find a place to hide if we want to be fashionably late. Let's go."

It was stupid and pointless but, it was also fun which made it important… at least in Neo's honest and completely unbiased and factually correct opinion. Also, it didn't help the fact that she utterly hated the people that they were going to meet: A cocky dickless amputee, a flaming bitch, another bitch that wanted the first bitch to go down on her and la creme of the crop a mass murder who constantly whined about "Muh revolution!" It was disgusting, so if Roman wanted to make these guys wait a bit then she was game, in fact, there was a nice spot off to the side that would make a great hidey-hole. Sure it would take some climbing but, they would also get a great view on everyone coming in, so with a hop and a skip she went or to Roman and pointed him in the right direction.

A few minutes later they spied with their little eyes a self-righteous terrorist entering the warehouse completely oblivious to how much of a walking cliche he looked dressed in black and red. "Just look at em Neo," Torchwick whispered to her, "That guy is walking around in a Dust infused custom-tailored suit while his men are armed with some bottom bin surplus from a war that ended a lifetime ago," she gave him an odd look. "I get what you're saying but, I'm not parading around pretending to be a savior, that guy… I get the feeling that he wasn't placed here in Vale because his boss liked him."

She quickly caught on to what he meant, Adam wanted to lead the entire White Fang. Sure getting the Vale branch seemed like a huge step in the right direction but that was only on the surface. Vale was one of the most progressive of the Kingdoms and Adam's methods were far too extreme to be ever justified here which in theory leaves him with nothing to do and therefore no way to earn that leadership spot he so coveted. That must have been what the flame Bitch offered him: A chance to earn that spot.

"Late just what I'd expect from humans, constantly making demands and utterly failing to give anything back. Just how pathetic can the human species be?" Adam spoke while pacing around the room, "If that damned woman wasn't so -"

"Well I'm happy to hear that you've been thinking of me, Adam." spoke the sickeningly sweet voice of Cinder Fall who emerged into the light followed by a cocky teenaged boy who seemed to have a bizarre obsession with the color grey and a teenage girl whose clothes suggested that she was going to be spending the night on the beach.

Adam gave an angry grunt before turning to face the trio "Don't flatter yourself, everyone with half a brain can see just how hard you try to play the seductress. It comes off as desperate."

The teenage girl looked like she was about to say something but was cut off by Cinder before she could say anything, "It's alright Emerald, everyone is entitled to their tastes, now is everyone here?"

"Not, that expert thief of yours," Adam spoke with such venomous sarcasm that it made Torchwick want to come down and give that animal a piece of his mind, however that would have given himself away so the thief begrudgingly remained hidden. "That man still hasn't shown up or perhaps after the last job he has become arrogant enough to think that he doesn't need you."

"I assure you Mr. Tarus that Torchwick wouldn't dream of running away, I have a certain… understanding with the man," Cinder purred in a way that made Neo want to vomit.

The boy in grey had a vicious smirk on his face "Besides I don't think you're qualified to say anything about uderst- Oomph!" he was cut off when Emerald elbowed him.

"For Oum's sake, Mercury at least pretend to be a professional!" Emerald chastised him which only earned her gleeful smirk from the guy which instantly let her and everyone else know that he still wasn't really taking anything seriously, or maybe the problem was that he just didn't care. Either way, the distraction created by his immature display was convenient for Torchwick as it gave him the opportunity he was looking for.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," the gentleman thief spoke with a mocking bow as Neo mirrored all his movements. The pair then strode up to their fellow criminals and sat down in front of the table, "Well what are you waiting for? Let's begin!"

"Thank you for finally showing up Roman," Cinder glared at him for a moment before relaxing her face. "However next time could you please take care to keep better track of the time. We wouldn't want to find ourselves suddenly running short on time, do we?"

Roman paled for a moment before straightening himself up trying to proceed like everything was business as usual, "Very good point, Cinder. I will keep a better track of time in the future."

"Are we done joking around? Or can we finally get to the point of this meeting?" Adam Taurus scowled at all the humans in the room but held back his anger, They're still useful, walking over to the table he also sat down and was promptly joined by the others, "I'll start, if you humans don't mind letting a Faunus take the lead."

"The floor is yours," Cinder spoke poison hiding underneath her friendly tone.

"Thanks to the efforts of my men we have managed to secure all the Dust necessary for the next step of the plan," Adam spoke with a dull bored tone but he emphasized how it was his men who brought the dust. He then tilted his head to briefly look right at Torchwick who was trying his best to ignore how he had been purposely left out, with a smirk the Major kept going. "We also received the equipment that you promised and I can assure you that will be put to good use."

"And Mount Glenn?" Cinder asked.

"It a work in progress, we found the tunnels and were even able to salvage a train but some parts will need to be replaced, not to mention that the tracks will have to be cleared and repaired."

"And how long will that take?"

"A year at least."

Emerald practically leaped up and exclaimed, "That's far too slow! You know the deadlines we are working with! What cou-"

"That's enough Emerald, Cinder ordered. "Now calm down and behave or wait outside understood?"

"Yes Ma'am," she submissively answered while Mercury silently mocked her much to her irritation.

"However, my subordinate's concerns are valid. Adam, what is the problem?"

"Well had your underling been more disciplined I would have been able to explain that it is an issue of numbers, there's far too few of us split between too many locations. However, we have already begun a recruitment campaign."

"And how exactly will that work Mr. Terrorist?" Roman interrupted. "The Dust robberies, MY Dust robberies were as you said a success which means that a lot of people and animals are going without power and they are going to be pissed at you!"

"You're right, they have been successful so that we have enough Dust to spare for the needy. As long as they are Faunus," Adam answered with a cold hateful undertone to his voice.

"So let me get this straight, you the Sheriff of Nottingham is going to try and play Robin Hood to invite people into your Merry Band? Sure you'll lure in some suckers but not everyone is going to forget who took the Dust in the first place!"

Cinder just watched as Adam and Tourchwick continued to argue and insult each other but she wasn't ignoring them. On the contrary, she was paying very close attention to every single point and counterpoint the two men were making against each other, it was interesting. Adam was far better prepared than I first anticipated though it's probably a case of him already having plans and ideas but lacking the means to do so. As for Torchwick, his experience is showing both in this little… debate and in his results and The Docks especially were impressive… maybe a little collaboration is called for.

"Enough you two!" she ordered while noticeably increasing the temperature of the room to get their attention. "Right now we are just reporting on our progress, while there will be a discussion on the best ways to move forward but we need to first understand where we are so, Torchwick please calm down and allow Adam to continue," it wasn't a request, it was an order and there would be no room allowed for argument.

"To ensure that everything could be done without arousing any suspicion, my lieutenants and I have decided to revise the policy on retired members of our brotherhood."

* * *

"Tukson Book Trade, Every book under the Sun!" Tukson proudly repeated his store's catchphrase as a brand new customer entered the store.

"Every book under the sun? That's quite a promise to make… brother, or perhaps it's not as impressive as it sounds." The man speaking was huge and spoke with an oddly soft voice that almost sounded familiar to him though he couldn't remember where he had heard it If only he didn't have his back turned to me.

"Brother? That's an odd thing to call someone you've just met, is it customary where you are from?" he asked, genuinely curious about both the answer to the question and the identity of the man.

"Ah but that's just the thing we have met each other plenty of times we used to work together," The stranger answered.

"I'm sorry but I don't remember you, maybe you have me mistaken for… what are you doing?" Tukson couldn't see what the stranger's hands were doing but he did notice that the lights were dimming and the blinds were being closed but much more importantly he noticed a shiver that was running up his spine as certain memories began to resurface, Could it… no, there's no way.

The stranger instead of answering turned around revealing a face that Tukson didn't recognize which was a relief to him, Okay it was just my imagination, thank Oum. The stranger started to approach him and it was only then that he was able to look behind the behemoth of a man and see that the "Open" sign on his door had been switched to "Close," and even more disturbing was that the door had been locked. Great, I'm being robbed!

"You see Tukson, the reason you don't recognize me is that back then we wore masks," The stranger finally spoke again.

At that moment it all clicked, His size, voice and the way he talks its Banesaw! "Lieutenant! What are you doing here Sir? Is there something wrong?" Shit! Do they know!?

"Yes, sadly there is something extremely wrong Tukson my old friend. You see some things have come to our attention, things which bring your promises and dedication to the cause into question and now I have come to give you a choice on how this will work. Your first choice and the one I hope you take is to quietly come back with me and accept a long term mission that will not only clear you of any suspicion but I can personally guarantee that we the White Fang will never bother you again. Or you can just leave through the back door."

"What's the catch?"

"There is a kill squad in the back that will shoot you dead, then we will frame a local Faunus Hate group of the crime. Either option will have you furthering our cause one way or another. So, please think it over but be aware that there exists a much less pleasant third option."

Tukson despite what his love for literature would imply to some was a fighter. It's what attracted him to the White Fang in the first place, the fact that they were taking a stand and fighting back. But, Banesaw… it was a nickname that the lieutenant earned and it was one that the man did live up to, Then again I don't have to beat him. If I can get past him then break through the window I'll be out on the open street. They would never try chasing me in broad daylight! I have to get past hi-!

Suddenly there was a brief but sharp from the back of his neck. He spun around to and beheld a masked face belonging to a feminine body that was smaller than either of the two men, How long was she here? He took a step forward and the world began to spin around him as up and down lost all meaning and then, nothing.

"Very good, now take him back to base," The lieutenant instructed the masked stranger who quickly began to shoulder the unconscious man. He then pulled out his scroll and used its radio function to contact the other men waiting in the back, "Vandalize the store."

* * *

'"The deserter is currently secured at a different location, as for the group we've framed I will be sending some men to take care of them later thus proving that the White Fang will not turn a blind eye to the blight of my people unlike the authorities thus bringing ever more to the fold," Adam finished his report with a self-satisfied smile.

"Shit," Roman whispered low enough that no one except Neo heard him. The thief always knew that Cinder and was bad news and when he found out that the White Fang was getting involved, he seriously considered bolting, That might have been me or even Neo! He looked over to where the bitch was sitting with her brats and briefly studied their faces, She likes it! That psychotic monster likes what Adam did, the Street Rat doesn't care but then again she'd eat shit if she thought Cinder would like it and Dickless just doesn't care.

People were going to die, he knew this from the moment that bitch showed up, but this was going to be on a scale that he wasn't prepared to handle and then there was the matter of the retaliation. Armies would be after them, Huntsmen would be looking to murder them at every turn and Cinder? She'd ditch him and Neo the moment their job was done and leave them at the mercy of avengers… unless… I made myself irreplaceable. "That's a nice Adam, real cute." Torchwick got up from his seat and began to walk around the room as everyone and especially Neo stared at him confused.

"Torchwick, what are you doing?" Cinder demanded.

"What I'm doing is offering to expedite the process for our little raging bull over here," he points at Adam who angrily rose to say something but was cut off by Cinder.

"And how do you plan on helping?"

"Simple, I'll handle the recruitment! That he can focus entirely on preparing the train for our little stroll through the town!" Torchwick explained.

"Ha! Do you honestly think that the Faunus will listen to you? Don't make me laugh human."

"Any con man worth his tongue can talk people into doing anything and I'm the king of con men, trust me. Put me on stage and let me talk to them, let me show off everything that I have already given you guys and I guarantee that you will have people lining up to join en masse!"

"And what was wrong with my plan?"

"Oh, there was nothing wrong with it per se, just that you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar and I'm the sweetest guy here!"

"I have already been pushed to the edge of what I was willing to tolerate when I agreed to let you lead some robberies, I will be damned! Before I let a Fucking Hairless Ape in a suit sully my cause with his filthy fingers!" Adam was standing now and had his hand on his sword as the rest of the White Fang seemed to be unsure of what to do.

"Then why did you agree?" Cinder calmly asked unaffected by the tension in the room and ignoring how both Emerald and Mercury were preparing themselves for a fight.

"What?"

"Adam, why did you ultimately agree to let Roman borrow some of your men? You could have just let them handle the robberies themselves, all you would have to do was assigned the task to an officer or even do it yourself. But, instead, you allowed a human to take the lead. Why?"

The terrorist leader stopped for a moment to ponder his response, "Because his expertise made him… annoyingly invaluable for the task while at the same time allowing me to accomplish far more important tasks… fine, I see your point. However, I want him on the train when the comes. "His hand left the hilt of his sword and then the situation slowly diffused.

"Done."

"What Why! Why would you do that!" Torchwick all but screamed as Neo silently laughed.

"Because you getting caught is part of the plan! Or have you forgotten it?" Cinder bluntly asked.

"But can't I just surrender? Or how about I just let myself get caught by someone? Hell, I'll even let Red or that Schnee chick bring in me instead!"

"Because you need to be seen as someone important, they already know that you're working with the White Fang but they have no idea just how deep that partnership goes. You get captured at the head of the train and everything single theory they may have will be tossed out the door, leaving them vulnerable and making it easier for you to succeed at the next part of your job." Cinder couldn't help but smile a little as she looked at the gentleman thief who was now trapped thanks to his own words and actions. You may be a useful pawn but that is all that you are and will ever be. A pawn to be used and sacrificed by your betters.

Neo had been angry at people before, there were even times when Roman wasn't exactly her favorite person in the world. But what she felt right now was different from mere dislike, right now she hated Cinder. Right now she wanted to do nothing more than cut that cunt's throat open, grab Roman and run. Right now she hated how she could do anything other than having faith that her precious Candle Light knew what he was doing, because if something happened to him. She had no idea what she would do.

Cinder's sultry voice continued to fill the air and draw all attention onto herself, "Now that we've decided who is going where, let's get to the point of this meeting, Emerald." The young lady reached behind herself and pulled out a case and looked to her boss for a second before placing the case on the table and opening it, revealing vials filled with a dark red substance.

"Adam, I promised you weapons and an unprecedented opportunity. I've delivered the weapons and your moment is coming, this on the other hand," She plucked one of the vials out of the case and placed it on the table, "Is a promise of victory."

* * *

"What is this?" Hazel asked.

"A necessary step," Watts answered.

The two men were standing in a viewing room looking through a one-way mirror at a medical procedure that was happening. A first glance it was just a nurse drawing blood from a patient, nothing unusual. However, all it would take would be anything longer than a glance to realize that there was something very wrong going on. The nurse was far too nervous, the door leading out was not only locked but was also made of heavy metal, the room itself had reinforced walls and floor and even the ceiling was built to withstand a beating. But it was nothing compared to the patient.

Sedated and chained down to a hospital bed that was bolted to the floor lay the subject, her skin which was already naturally dark had overtime become several shades darker furthermore white scab like spots were beginning to appear in various places. Her hair was beginning to lose its color and her antlers were becoming larger, more twisted and were slowly becoming as white as a bleached bone. And then were her coppered colored eyes whose irises were growing larger and beginning to bleed into the sclera. The eyes weren't originally that color, in the past, they would become copper as her body reacted to stimuli but it was always temporary or at least it used to be. One day the irises didn't shift back, after that the rest of the body started to change resulting in her current appearance.

Dr. Watts didn't understand what was happening but he wanted to. He wanted to learn so badly, he wanted to boil the process down to its bare components, to analyze every element and most importantly to replicate the process. But, all he had to work with was that single solitary subject.

"The problem I've been facing Hazel is a lack of research material, however, I believe we have a way to circumvent that," he watched as the nurse pulled out a syringe and carefully stabbed into the veins of the subject and draw blood.

"Please tell me you are not injecting her blood into random people," Hazel said, never taking his eyes off of the process.

"Please, Hazel spare a little faith for me. No, what I have done is create a drug that instead mimics some of the changes which occur when the subject undergoes Grimification."

"Stop that."

"Pardon?"

"Stop calling her subject. This is a woman with a name and you at the very least owe her the dignity of being referred to by that name," Hazel turned away from the one-way mirror to look right at Dr. Watts who seemed to be mulling over something.

"With some embarrassment, I must confess that I do not know her name."

"Then figure it out."

"Fine, but remember that I found her in some backwater Valen Settlement. So, it might take some time. Now take a look at this." Dr. Watts reached into his coat and pulled out a case containing three differently marked vials each containing a red-colored liquid."

"Blood?"

Watts pulled out one vial and handed to Hazel and pulled out a different vial and kept it in his hands while leaving the third vial in the case." what you are holding is the blood from the sub- I'm sorry, I meant to say her blood."

Hazel took the time to examine it even channeling his aura into his eyes to enhance his vision. The blood was wrong, the color was too dark and the way it moved when he gave the vial a shake seemed a little too slow. It felt sticky, This can't be fresh but there is no reason for him to show me old blood. The changes in her body must be deeper than we first thought.

"This second one is the blood of Mr. Arc," he then handed the vial to Hazel who returned the first sample which went back in the case as Watts removed the last vial.

"Arc? Do you mean that boy who started all of this? I thought he was attending Beacon, how in Remnant did you get your hands on this?"

"Simple, I have an agent working within the school," Watts answered quite smugly.

"I can't help but notice how you said that You had an agent rather than saying that Salem has an agent."

"You have always been an observant one, Hazel, unlike that manchild Cinder or Tyrian the nutcase. My agent isn't a part of Ozpin's inner circle so any knowledge about Salem or anything else is not something they have nor is she interested in it. They don't even know why I've asked for samples of Jaune's blood."

Satisfied, Hazel then examined the vial containing Jaune's blood, it was unusually dark but not quite on the same level rather it was a few shades lighter and moved far more naturally. "I suppose this supports your theory that what you gave the boy was an earlier version of what she had," Hazel spoke while looking back at the still half-conscious subject.

"Now that a look at this," Watts took the vial from Hazel and handed him the third and final vial.

"So whose blood is- wait a moment," hazel took a closer look. The color was all wrong, it was a little too bright a little too red and the way it moved around was far too fluid and every one now and then a black speck would appear and then dissolve only to reform somewhere else. "What is this?"

"I needed extra subjects, so I found a way to make some."

* * *

Heat, that what he felt right now. There was a heat slithering its way through his veins and slowly permeating throughout the entirety of his body, awakening it almost as though he had been asleep until now. He raised the now empty syringe to eye level and examined it in the dim lights of the room. Even with the lack of decent lighting, he could make out details about the misused medical tool. The dull thumping music of the club became a little clearer despite the soundproofing in the room. He took in a deep breath and the scent of smoke, liquor, sex, and even blood hit his nostrils and his skin, his was starting to feel the texture of everything his skin came into contact with.

"Woah this… what is this," he looked to the dim light bulb and just began to stare. There was nothing particularly interesting about the bulb but the light itself was strange, it was getting brighter. The more he stared at it the brighter the light became, the louder the music, deeper all smells and now his fingertips could make out every little nook, cranny and even all the little bumps of the table his hands were resting on.

"Ugh, why is it so bright? And the music, ugh! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He reached out and grabbed the light bulb crushing it in his hands, the hot filament feeling like a hot brand pressed against his skin and glass shards stabbing into his palm each shard digging deep into his flesh resulting in a sensory overload sending him into shock and then unconsciousness.

The door to the room burst up as two men dressed in black suits with red ties and sunglasses entered, "Sir, are you okay?" one of the men asked and upon seeing the state of the druggie he turned to his co-worker "Shit, get the Doc!"

An hour later the police would be called to the club, it would take them another 30 minutes for the squad car to arrive, the first body would be found 10 minutes later with the second being found just around the corner a mere 20 feet away. The owner of the club Hei "Junior" Xiong would identify the two men as employees of his. An autopsy would reveal that the first victim was killed by blunt force trauma to the back of the head and a broken wooden chair with bloodstains would be identified as the murder weapon. Crime Scene Investigation would find that the second victim was able to reach his pistol and get off five shots before he was stabbed to death, splinters were found within the wound and were soon matched with the wood from the broken chair.

Leading away from the second victim was a trail of blood heading to the end of the hallway where a large broken window was found, on the other side of that window the trail of blood continued. Police pursuers would follow that lead until they found its end just over a mile away from the club. There was nobody, instead, they found a large puddle of blood suggesting that the assailant passed out due to blood loss. Due to how much blood was lost it is believed that the assailant is dead however until a body is found there will be no way to know for sure.

Lab tests involving the blood discovered shockingly little, with the only information being obtained was that the blood was contaminated beyond use. A list of possible IDs for the assailant was created through the use of interviews with employees and club-goers many of which mentioned that the man had been speaking with someone else who entered a private room with the assailant. That same unidentified individual was later seen leaving the room exactly 45 minutes before the incident. The authorities believe that the mystery person was a drug dealer of some sort and testimony from witnesses supports this idea. The room where the incident took place was searched from top to bottom for any evidence of the theoretical drugs. Nothing was found.

A week later the police were called to investigate another similar incident.

* * *

Author's Notes: I gave my characters a chance to sort their feelings and I let them have some fun. Now its time for this story to go back to being a horror fic.


	18. Chapter 18

"This is Lisa Lavender here reporting live from the scene of the latest case of what some are calling Rage," the reporter was standing in front of a clinic which was covered in police tape and had law enforcement and medics going in and out as some civilians watched. "With me is Police Captain Teal who is in charge of the investigation, Captain what can you tell us?"

"Well the investigation is still underway so everything is subject to change but here is what we do know for sure: The suspect Simone Cartwell who is now safely in custody was brought to the clinic by a currently unknown third party who according to the testimony from the receptionist working at the time, claimed that they were trying to help Simone who was once again according to witness testimony unconscious due to what the third party claimed was an overdose. Simone was then brought into an ER room where he regained consciousness and tried to leave. The staff, however, wanted to check that he was alright and tried to convince him to wait, he then suddenly turned violent and attacked the staff resulting in what we see here." The Captain took a moment to stand aside and motion with his arm to the Clinic allowing the audience a clear view of the Clinic revealing a shattered window, a broken desk, chairs scattered all over the floors and injured people being assisted by medics. "Fortunately I am happy to report that the staff was able to restrain him before anyone could be seriously injured. As for the suspected cause for this incident, we don't know yet if Rage is the reason for it but, rest assured that we have experts working on it."

"Thank you, Captain, this marks the tenth incident of seemingly unprovoked violence in only two weeks. Counselor Row-."

* * *

General Ironwood turned off the tv and turned to Ozpin who was sitting on his desk coffee mug in hand, "Ten reported cases with who knows how many more have gone unreported, tell me Ozpin what's your opinion on all of this."

"I think that this new drug isn't as bad as it could be." Ozpin saw the look of confusion on Ironwood's face and moved to clarify. "Sure the violent outbursts are a major concern but the fact it happens so quickly placed it squarely in the spotlight making it a priority. Maybe the police still have no idea how this Rage thing works or what it is made of but, that isn't necessary to stop the distribution. Though I admit that I am curious about those questions."

"While I do agree with what you just said, that wasn't what I was asking," the General softly spoke while looking at his friend.

The headmaster silently gave a little curse over the question he failed to dodge "I don't know. It might be the start of an attack but Salem, she's never done anything like this before, if it wasn't for Mr. Arc I'd simply dismiss the idea as the mere paranoia of an old man, but now… Ironwood, we cannot start jumping at shadows and blindly lashing out or we will give her exactly what she wants whether or not she had anything to do with this." And yet despite his words, the centuries of experience were already turning his mind towards darker possibilities and solutions.

"If I may, perhaps it would be prudent to have one or two of your resident experts analyze the drug, Dr. Gris would have an easy time with it and Professor Peach does have extensive knowledge on plants and medicine. Even if it turns out to be nothing then at the very least we'll have some closure and it would help bolster Beacon's image."

Ozpin thought about the suggestion for a bit, on the surface, it was a rather simple and sensible thing that would go great lengths to help reinforce the ties between the academy and the kingdom. He could also offer to lend some students to the police force thus turning the whole thing into a teaching opportunity. More importantly, though it could be an opportunity to capture a potential agent of Salem, We just have to be the ones to make the arrest. "All right then, I'll get into contact with the commissioner and offer some assistance. However, I must ask, what's your goal here James? I don't doubt that you want to help people but I can't help but feel that there is a second angle to this request."

The General looked through window Ozpin's office and stared at the city beneath him and then he gave a rather unexpected playful chuckle before turning around to Ozpin with a small but still very noticeable smile on his face, "I brought with me a student from my academy and let me tell you right now, this girl is special."

"How so?"

"Ozpin, you may think you have seen everything under the sun but she is something new. I'd tell you but it would just be easier for me to show you, so please let her be a part of the investigation," Ironwood was excited uncharacteristically so it made him seem… younger.

"If the authorities will allow Beacon's assistance then I will allow her's," Ozipn couldn't help but feel some measure of pride watching the Headmaster of Atlas Academy take such keen interest in the growth of a student. I always knew that there was a teacher in you James. "So, what's her name?"

"Penny Polendina."

* * *

The eyes are the windows to the soul and as Jaune stared through the now cold dead eyes of his latest victim he saw a reflection of himself staring back at him covered in blood and gore smiling with maniacal glee over his latest kill. In that mirror image, he saw himself and looked through the windows of his soul and found death staring right back at him.

"Jaune?" a scared voice called out to him.

He turned to look at the speaker and found his oldest sister Saphron staring right at him with a look of abject horror as she tried to slowly back away. "You killed them! You killed them without mercy without a shred of remorse! You're not a hero, you're not even a human! Get away from me you monster!" she screamed before running away in fear.

"Wait no! I can explain! I didn't do it! I didn't kill anyone!" he called out to her as he tried chasing her through similar blood-drenched corridors of what he now recognized as the Arc's family home and now and then he would spot what appeared to be a still body on the ground.

"You killed me," a voice behind him spoke. Suddenly the house was gone and he was back in the Docks, standing before him was a member of the White Fang with a stab wound going right through the chest. "Right here," the figure pointed right at the wound, "You stabbed me right here and ended my life." The flesh around the wound began to rot as maggots began to pour out and consume every ounce of the flesh of that masked man. "I'm nothing but maggot food thanks to you and you don't even care!"

"You were trying to hurt my friends! You were trying to hurt me!" Jaune protested.

Then another voice spoke up behind him "I hurt my friend thanks you," Jaune didn't even have to run around to know who was speaking, the one once whose neck he had broken. "I just wanted to help my friend and yet somehow you're better than me?"

"And what about me?" spoke a feminine voice the owner walking into Jaune's sight revealing herself to be a third White Fang agent with blood and maggots seeping through bullet holes on her body. "Do you think you're better than me when we both just tried to help our friends? Or do you somehow think that your friends are better than ours, is your cause nobler? Don't even try to deny it you monster!"

Jaune was having none of it, "Just because I didn't shed any tears over killing you guys while you were trying to kill me, doesn't make me a monster. Self-defense doesn't make me a murderer and I'm sure as all bloody hell not some frothing berserker either, I am a Huntsman!"

The corpses just stared at him in silence and for a bit, Jaune began to hope that this nightmare was finally over. Then a wicked smile appeared on their faces ending any hope of, "You're not a Huntsman you're not even a Huntsman in training, you're just as fake as your transcripts! Hell, you're not even human! You haven't been human since that day in the bar, or did you forget?"

The scene changed again and Jaune found himself sitting at the counter of what he assumed to be a bar as a faceless man sitting right next to him offered a dark oddly golden colored and utterly rancid smelling drink that seem have some sort of... vile and corrupt creature swimming around in the dark and sickly liquid with an odd and sadistic excitement in it movements, "Here, a toast to the young hero!" The man began to move the foul liquid towards the boy's mouth.

All at once, Jaune recognized what was going on, this was the drink, this was the moment and this was the bastard that nearly ruined his life! "No! Please No! Keep that away from me!" he tried getting off of the chair but some invisible force kept him seated as he thrashed futilely to try to break free. "Mom! Dad! Saph! Please someone anyone please help me! Save me! Please!" The drink was almost at his lips so he tried to seal his mouth shut closing with such force that his mouth began to ache, only for the corpses to return and pry his mouth open with their putrid fingers, their dead eyes watching with glee as the glass tilted and a viscous rancid liquid poured out and the creature who seemed to be laughing swam out of the glass and right into the would-be knight's screaming mouth.

Jaune woke up in a cold sweat.

For a while he just laid there on his bed staring at the ceiling not trying to fall back asleep or even trying to stay awake, he was right now just trying to forget that nightmare but it was proving to be an impossible task. That last part was the absolute worst, I'm going to have a talk about that with Riviera. In the past he might have tried to keep it to himself however his circumstances have all but beaten this behavior out of him, Jaune may be ignorant at times and even a little slow on the uptake but he was no fool. I cannot beat this on my own.

His mind then wandered back to that last part of the nightmare but rather focusing on that accursed drink he concentrated on the figure that had been holding it, the one who had offered it in the first place and the more he thought of it the more he realized that he had just experienced was a memory. It had been suppressed and distorted but it was still there, That's right I wasn't alone! There was someone else there and they were the ones who gave me that drink! They were the ones who did this to me! Unbelievable anger washed over the boy as he gripped the bed, his fingers digging deep into the bedding. Soon as a result of his utter rage and indignation his body began to transform this time going beyond everything that had come before. This time the sclera of his eyes shifted into a bright gray as his iris went from its natural sky blue to a rusted copper and in his pupil, a white spot like a burning flame began to form almost as though it was somehow being fueled by the pitch-black veins surrounding his eye. The changes weren't just limited to his face, nails were becoming claws, his cheeks began to split open as new teeth were beginning to form and his spine grew and started to press against the skin on his back as though it was trying to break through, his body was racked with pain but he did not care he did not even notice it.

What he did notice was his teammates sleeping peacefully around him. They feel safe around me because they don't see me as a monster because I am not one! But that man, he's more than a monster, he's the Devil himself! Jaune then closed his eyes and whispered a vow "I don't know for sure if you exist but if you do and if I ever find you… I will kill you."

"Jaune? Are you alright," Nora's voice grabbed Jaune's attention and for the first time, he noticed the damage he had done to his bed.

"Yeah, I just had a nightmare and… I think I need a new bed."

"That's cool, hey Jaune."

"Yea?"

"Let me know when you go looking for that guy, I'll break his legs for you," She then yawned. "I'm going back to sleep, you should too since we're running laps tomorrow," she then went back to sleep.

"Th-thank you," It might have been his nativity or perhaps even his condition acting up in a new bizarre way but he believed her, they were his team, his friends and he knew that they were helping him but to go that far for him? You tried to make me a monster and maybe I'm not human anymore, fuck you. Only I get to decide who I am.

A little bit later he fell into a peaceful sleep and as he slept his body reverted to normal leaving only small traces of the change. If it wasn't for the tears in the bed one could be convinced that it never happened at all.

* * *

"Alright everyone just one more lap and then we'll stop for breakfast," spoke the kind voice of Pyrrha Nikos as she led her team through their daily morning workouts right in the Beacon every own track field, tired groans were the only response she got.

When they had first started their morning exercises for the day Jaune had unexpectedly pushed himself harder than usual but now, he was covered in sweat, joints were aching, stomach empty and he was still sleepy thanks to that dream that woke him up and kept him up. And hearing that wasn't done running yet he loudly bemoaned the news "Why! We've been doing this every day for months now! How come it never seems to get easier?" His fellow teammates Ren and Nora silently agreed with him as they all struggled to keep up with their leader.

"That's because I've been slowly raising the bar but don't worry, just keep it up and sooner than you think you'll be able to handle this level of exercise just fine and the level after and beyond!" the young amazon answered while thinking to herself, Besides even if I can't help you work through your problems I can at least help you survive them.

In hindsight near-daily workouts like this were exactly the sort of thing that Ren and especially Nora should have seen coming when Pyrrha was first announced as the leader of their team, after all, she was Mistral's Invincible Girl and no amount of innate talent alone was able to make someone an undefeated three times champion of the ring. A feat like that required no demands for hard work and the discipline to commit to such an endeavor. As for Jaune, he thanks to Qrow had already experienced just a taste of what a Huntsman's daily routine looked like and it was a herculean task but necessary to have any chance to fight the Grimm, but compared to this? There was absolutely no comparison! This was a million times harder and while Jaune would never say it, he was pretty sure that even Qrow would be panting for breath if he tried to keep up with Pyrrha. However there was also something extremely cathartic about all of this or at least in Jaune's opinion, Pyrrha wasn't born a champion and neither was Qrow born a huntsman, they got there through work the same way I'm going to get there as well! That said I wouldn't mind a break soon...

True to her word Pyrrha did indeed let her team relax after that last lap and it was an opportunity that they gladly took advantage of. Even she decided to cool down with them even though in all honesty she felt that she could go on for a little longer. This is nice, she thought to herself as she watched her team and tried to keep herself from giggling out loud when Jaune just collapsed on the floor and began thanking whatever gods might be listening for the break, even Ren and Nora left trying to catch their breaths. She then took a moment to walk over to where she and the rest of her team were keeping their stuff and fished out a notebook from a bag and began making a record of the times and number of laps that everyone completed, Nice steady improvements from everyone, except Jaune… he did seem less energetic than normal today. Perhaps he had trouble sleeping maybe I should… no. It could be easily just a one-time thing, no sense making a fuss out of what could very well be nothing. She then put the notebook away and grabbed some water bottles and walked over to her team to hand it to them.

After that refresher Team, PRAN left to gather their belongings, hit the showers, change into their uniforms and make their way into the cafeteria for some breakfast and some good old fashioned socializing.

* * *

"Salutations everyone!" announced the ever happy Miss Polidenia to a cafeteria full of students eating breakfast, she stood there for a minute or so waving her hands at everyone before making her way through the sea of people eating and moving between tables. Most paid her no mind but occasionally there would be someone who did say hello and wave back before returning to their food and conversation. Under normal circumstances, Penny would have at the very least attempted to make a conversation from that point instead of leaving it at a mere hello. However, today was special! So she made a quick scan of the room and quickly located the table where her dear Friend Ruby Rose was sitting with the rest of her team and even their sister team PRAN, who she wanted to thank for their assistance at the Dock. Along with them were two other guys one being the Monkey Faunus that also helped along with someone else that wasn't at the Docks but he seemed friendly and whose appearance and demeanor suggests that he fitted the social status called "Cool." In particular, she took notice of Jaune trying to scan him to try and make sense of the readings she got from him back on the Docks, Error Subject is too far. Solution: Move closer, mere moments later she was standing in front of the group "Salutations friends!"

"Penny?" asked a rather surprised Ruby who just stared at her friend blankly for a few seconds before becoming a blur as she jumped out of her chair and rushed over to her. "Oh, My Gosh Penny! What happened there one moment about the next you were just gone and I was just so worried about you!"

Seeing Ruby's concern for her made Penny the already unusually cheerful girl even happier. "Your concern is appreciated friend but fear not I was merely picked up by my caretaker who was concerned for my safety!"

"Well that's good, I guess…," Yang spoke a little uncertain by how she felt about that bit of information. "Well, what are you waiting for? Sit down! Are you hungry? I can grab something for you to eat or drink if you are," spoke Yang as she and everyone else made room for the new girl who gladly took the spot.

"I thank you so much for the offer of sustenance but I'm alright, how are you?"

This time it was Weiss who spoke up, "We're all alright, honestly I'm still trying to wrap my head around just how many people showed up to help and all the support that, I and Blake have received… it was overwhelming at first, I'm honestly still not used to it," There was a small part of her that wanted to just cry happy while gushing thanks, back home she would have been completely on her own and she nearly screwed it all up. I will never again allow you to define me or the Schnee legacy again, Father!

She wasn't alone in her feelings, Blake also felt somewhat overwhelmed by everything that had happened. More than once she had been afraid to wake up and discover that everything was just a dream. That she only imagined Weiss apologizing, that she was still alone in her fight against the White Fang and that people like Cardin whom she dismissed as a lost cause weren't proving Adam wrong. That leaving him wasn't the right choice. But, why was Torchwick there and in charge?

"So what do you think about that Rage thing that has been on the news lately?" Sun innocently asked.

"Huh, I didn't think that you'd know about it since you're not from around here," Yang replied

"Well that's rather presumptuous of you, Sun and Mr. Vasilias here are both studying to become law enforcement professionals, it only natural that they would seek to stay up to date about any major cases," chided Weiss.

Neptune then jumped in "No, that's a fair assumption to make, I mean come on look at us!"

Yang was quick to ponce, "Trust me, I am."

"Yaaaaang, could you not right now?" Ruby begged her older sister who just laughed it off.

"Is Yang engaging in the activity known as Flirting?" Penny innocently asked.

"Can we get back to the drugs?" Ruby shouted in an attempt to move the conversation in a different direction.

Sun took the lead, "Well Neptune and I were checking the news which is how we found out about an outburst of a brand new drug that they are calling Rage. No points for guessing what it does."

Neptune then took over, "Which is where things become bizarre. People know what Rage will do to them but the number of victims is still going up."

"Why is that weird? People know what smoking will do to them but the knowledge never stops them. It's the same with any drug really, so why is this one weird?" asked Blake.

"The problem with those examples is that the consequences can take a long time to hit you there are plenty of people who live their whole lives smoking and drinking but never seem to suffer for it. But Rage is different, the effects happen so quickly compared to other drugs that it's nearly instant and believe me that they are extreme, people are getting hurt."

"Mr. Vasilias there is an error with what you just said," Interrupted Penny. "Rage isn't instantaneous but rather can take anywhere from anywhere between 40 minutes to one hour and 15 minutes all depending on how the drug was consumed, the size of the dosage and of course the size and weight of the user in question."

Both Neptune and Sun went silent, their faces expressing complete shock over what she had just said and soon the rest of the group also noticed. "How do you know that?" Sun finally asked Penny who just realized that she spoke too much.

Nora was the first to respond "What!? That's it! Everyone went suddenly all quiet and thought something was about to be revealed like someone being a robot or that someone was royalty or something crazy like that but we're all acting this way because she said something oddly specific? Lame!"

"That's information that hasn't been released to the public yet," Ren observed.

"But how do you know that Ren?" Pyrrha questioned.

"I was just guessing," he confessed.

Penny realized that she screwed up, "Well Ren you are correct! Not about the information but the part about me guessing! *hic* I was just guessing *hic* I don't know much about the case! *hic*" Penny hoped the answer would satisfy everyone.

"But it's still a good guess, are you interested in the case?" Sun asked.

"Yes, I am!"

"Penny," Neptune spoke softly while studying the girl, "Tell me, how did you come to that guess?"

"Why are you taking this so seriously?" Ruby asked.

"Earlier I said that the effects of Rage were extreme, that wasn't an exaggeration. There have been some witnesses claiming that the users all suddenly pass out and then when they awaken they seem normal but all it takes if for just one inconvenience and no matter how small it is they just become violent to the point where people have been killed! To make things worse Rage seems to be making them stronger at the very least they have far more stamina and pain doesn't seem to be a big deal for them any more…," Neptune kept talking with Sun occasionally jumping in to clarify something.

But Jaune wasn't paying attention and it wasn't because he didn't care, rather the opposite. He was too focused on the description of the drug's effects to notice anything else, Violent mood swings, increased strength, and stamina, heightened pain tolerance, passing out and it's a drug too? That sounds like what happened to me… kinda. I need to know more.

"The police think that the White Fang are somehow involved-,"

"The White Fang would never stoop that low!" Blake declared cutting Sun off, "They fight for equality and something like this would only hurt the cause!"

"That's exactly what I said!" Sun continued, never missing a beat.

"Did any of the victims know what they were taking?" Jaune suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"Earlier you said that you found it strange that people were taking the drug at all but if they don't know that they are? Are these people being found in places where someone could slip in the stuff without being noticed like a bar or a club? Are there any visible changes in these people like something with their eyes?" he asked.

Sun and Neptune were quiet for a bit as they pondered the question over trying to remember if they heard or saw anything that would answer Jaune's inquiry but, they came up with nothing.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know, but look. You and Penny seem interested in this, how about we meet up later and maybe do a little digging? What do you say?" Neptune asked.

"I would love to dig holes with you, friend Neptune!" Penny quickly declared.

"Um, actually yeah! I'd love to!" Jaune also quickly agreed.

"Of course the offer is there for everyone as well!" Sun added.

"That's great! My team and I are also doing some investigating as well!" Ruby happily added in. "Well, me Weiss and Blake are, Yang on the other hand went and got herself a date when she was supposed to be investigating!" she playfully accused her older sister who in response pulled Ruby into a hug.

"Awww, don't be like that! I told you this is part of my information gathering and besides me and Coco are just going to watch a movie and talk over some coffee, I swear you are so innocent!"

* * *

The room was a converted walk-in closet whose floors and walls were padded, the lights were dimmed and there was no furniture inside furthermore, the temperature of the room through the use of Dust was being kept lukewarm regardless of how hot or cold the rest of the city was that day. The door to the room opened up and standing at the door but not walking in was a young woman who seemed old enough to be an upper-year student at Beacon. She was naked revealing a vicious ugly scar on her abdomen marring her otherwise perfect sun-kissed skin and another much smaller almost unnoticeable scare on her arm. In her hands, she carried a tourniquet, a syringe, antibacterial wipes and a vial containing a rather dark viscous fluid.

She sat down on the bare floor right in front of the open door and prepped the syringe filling it with the fluid. Once that was done she removed the bandage, applied the tourniquet, found the vein using the scar on her arm as a guide and cleaned that spot with the wipes. Once that was done, she took the needle and injected the liquid right into her veins, she then removed the tourniquet and flooded that spot with enough aura to instantly close the hole made by the syringe. Once all that was done she threw everything into a nearby trash can and walked into the room closing the door.

Once she was inside she laid right on the floor and closed her eyes as her senses slowly but ever undeniably grew sharper and sharper. It wasn't long before she could start making out the little details of the fabric that she was lying and soon afterward eyes became so sensitive to light that she could see the light from the dim bulb through her closed eyelids on but fortunately it even became too much of an issue. A little bit longer and all of her senses were pushed to the limits but thanks to the room it never became overwhelming. Worth every single lien. She thought to herself with a shudder as she remembered the first time she tried Rage.

Everything was so overwhelming and the pain, just being in a room with the lights on made me feel like a needle was going through my eyes and right into my brain and my clothes felt like sandpaper scraping my skin off. I nearly blacked out from the pain I think I did for just a little bit when I collapsed on the floor. I was scared, for a moment I wished I was back in the Emerald Forest, at least then the pain would end. But afterward, I felt stronger no I was stronger and the anger, it was cathartic… it was worth it. she allowed herself to fall asleep, only leaving the room after she had awoken.

"I see you've made yourself rather comfortable here Miss Marilla," spoke a familiar feminine and rather polite sounding voice from behind her.

She didn't turn around to face the speaker, choosing instead to walk over to her dresser and begin putting on her combat gear, "You didn't have to wait for me you know, you could have just dropped it off and left Thumbelina."

"Miss Marillia I have told you again and again not to refer to me by my first name, now try again and please do it with the proper courtesy a professor deserves," she interrupted her voice poorly hiding the irritation she felt over how rude this girl was being.

"Thumbelina I am not your student and I don't work for you. Hell even if I was able to get into Beacon I'm damn sure that I'd still wouldn't give two shits about you. Now either pull that stick out of your dry ass and call me Iris like a fucking normal person would and kindly leave the package and walk out of my apartment," Iris spoke her disdain in full view as she began to put on her combat gear.

There was a moment of silence and a dull thump was heard on the floor, "Same place and time as usual also, I left some tea to help you calm down a bit, Marillia… you can still-"

"Not, here and not in Atlas either. Haven's a possibility and so is Shade but fuck that. Fuck all of them, I'm staying here and no, that isn't the Rage talking." Iris grabbed a case and opened it up revealing a bow and a quiver full of Dust tipped arrows, "Besides this job is a million times easier and pays a hundred times better."

"If that is how you feel then I'll take my leave, Miss Marilia, just remember that it's never too late to change your mind," Thumbelina walked away and left the room closing the door hard enough for the girl to hear it.

Once she was alone Iris walked over to the package that the Professor left behind and quickly examined it to make sure that everything was in order, even going as far to open the package revealing several labeled vials of blood being kept cool through the use of Ice Dust. She grabbed one of the vials and read the label before putting it back and resealing the package, "Jaune Arc again? Seriously what is so special about this guy? Bah Whatever!"

She grabbed a backpack and carefully attached her quiver to the side then checking and securing every single arrow before placing the package inside of the prepared compartments of her backpack. Putting it on she grabbed a pair of sunglasses and made her way to the roof of her apartment. Occasionally passing by a neighbor or two who ignored her as she ignored them. Once on the roof, she pulled out a pair of binoculars and looked out toward her destination, a certain hill inside of the Emerald Forest and began to plot her route. It didn't take very long as the path was one she had run before but it always paid to make sure and once she was satisfied she put the binoculars away.

After some stretches she walked over to one end of the roof and took a runner's position, she eyes her target, channels Aura into her legs and then dashes with incredible speed to the edge of the roof and leaps into the air waiting till she reaches maximum height before activating her semblance. A sky blue light surrounds her body as she begins to glide silently over the roof of the building next to her apartment and the roof of the next one and the next one gently floating over every single one until she reaches and grabs one of the ledges of the very last and tallest building on the street as well as her first stop. Taking a minute to make sure that everything is still there she then climbs up the side of the building making her way to the roof where she'll jump and glide to the next building.

Two hours and several more glides later Iris reached a part of the Emerald Forest furthest away from Beacon while still being accessible to Vale and stood on its edge hesitating as the scar on her side began to ache, Come on your stronger than this Iris, you're stronger than you were back then. Just keep your guard up and you'll be okay. She pulled her bow and nocked an arrow with a small shard of Ice Dust forming the arrowhead and quietly began making her way to the drop off point. But despite everything that she told herself she couldn't keep the memory away. Claws, Teeth, a broken bow, tearing flesh, a plea for help, passing out, the hospital and the disappointment, it took every single ounce of willpower just to keep herself from turning around and running out and away from the Grimm… who were strangely absent. A tiny more grounded part of her mind noticed the oddity and constantly attempted to bring it to the forefront of her conscious self but all it did was highlight the fear that there could be another Beowolf hiding just out of sight resulting in a vicious cycle of stress.

Yet, despite all common sense, she made it to the drop off point, a large and oddly flat rock resting on top of a hill. Wanting to get out of the forest as soon as possible she quickly pulls out the package and sets it on the rock before fleeing the scene thanking whatever god was responsible for the lack of Grimm. Iris, however, was wrong, there was a Grimm specifically a Nevermore who had been watching and waiting for her before she even came to the forest. From the moment she entered the forest it had been following her and when she placed the parcel down on the stone it watched her as she left. Once it was sure she had left it flew down to the parcel and grabbed it with its talons and flew back to its mistress while carrying the precious luggage.

* * *

Professor Harold Mulberry taught many courses at Beacon, all of them related in some way to weaponry. The aging giant of a man was even the forge master, a position that he seemed to love. The man was currently in the middle of a lecture and demonstration on the application of the more unique forms of Dust in regards to projectiles, a topic that Ruby and many other students were greatly interested in. Jaune, however, was having a hard time paying attention to Professor Mulberry's class and the occasional glance towards Blake made it clear that he wasn't the only one, She was already heavily concerned with the White Fang for some reason and now Rage on top of that? She's probably worried shitless. While he would never tell her or anyone else but seeing her like that brought a strange sense of peace to himself, like he wasn't alone in this, which made him want to help her as his friends had helped him, I'm going to recommend Dr. Riviera to Blake, she looks like she could use a good listener.

He briefly thought back to his dream specifically the man in the bar, on an instinctual level he knew that dreams and nightmares didn't necessarily mean anything, he had nightmares about the Dock due to his emotional distress over his lack of emotions and when he was a kid he had dreams about a monster under the bed for no reason at all. It was the same with dreams regardless of whether it was a dream about being a superhero or a dream about exploring a house and yet this one particular detail, this one brief moment at the end of a nightmare had such a profound impact on himself, He promised no had made vowed revenge on a man that logically had to exist since his drink didn't taint itself, Assuming that it was the drink at all. Which led right back to the heart of the issue, I remember going to that bar ordering a drink and that guy was sitting next to me offered up a toast and then… I don't know.

He lifted his hand to his face and briefly studied his fingernails. They seemed different just a little longer, thicker and stronger or was it his fingers that changed, maybe both, The anger I felt triggered a change but to the point that I now have to get a new bed? Whenever I transformed in the past it was always limited to my eyes but why did I think it would always be limited to that? I always become stronger when it triggers which must mean that there were always changes beyond my eyes...

"Mr. Arc!" Professor Mulberry was looking at him with slight annoyance on his face. "Would you mind explaining to the class what are the two reasons that Ice Dust is more frequently used than Earth Dust especially in regards to its use as a projectile?"

Jaune stared at the professor for a few seconds, Okay you don't know this but Wiess does and she's always talking about Dust so just say something she would say, "Ummmm… it's cheaper and easier to… get rid of?" Nailed it!

The man looked at Jaune for a bit before turning to the rest of his class, "Mr. Arc is correct, sure they are other factors but at the end of the day, Ice Dust is simply easier to find and handle making easier to afford plus it accomplishes many of the same things that Earth Dust would be used for while lacking the issue of permanence. That's not to say that they aren't moments and situations when Earth Dust wouldn't be the better choice but in most cases, it's just better to use Ice Duct especially if you're in a populated area, that is unless you enjoy using a jackhammer."

There was a round of chuckles from class but the professor didn't seem to be amused, at all. "That wasn't a joke, you will be legally obligated to remove or at least pay for the removal of the stone. Extensive misuse of Dust is grounds to have restrictions placed on your license and depending on the severity of the incident or incidents, you could have your license suspended and if someone dies thanks to you then your license could be revoked. So please show some goddamn common sense, now about your end of the year assignment…"

For once in his life, Jaune gave a quiet thanks to whichever ancestor of his originally owned Corcea Mors for choosing, or perhaps making, such a simple weapon. It would be really stupid if I got a suspension because I have no idea how to use a Dust weapon, that said how can I beat someone who uses Dust. He looked over to Weiss who was busy taking notes, She's the best person I know so maybe I could ask her for some advice maybe even a… no, I can't ask her to spar with me, I've already scared her enough during initiation. Nora uses Dust… Images of him being smashed through walls and floors ran through his head along with a shiver running through his spine, Maybe I'll ask Pyrrha how she handled Dust users during her tournaments instead.

*Brrrz*

Jaune looked at Nora and tapped his pen three times against his deck which caught her attention, he then blinked twice and winked once, "Excuse me, Professor!" Nora nearly leaped out of her seat as she grabbed the man's attention, "So I was wondering what sort of combination and ratios of Dust would be needed to create napalm?"

The Professor just stared at Nora for a few seconds before sporting a massive and quite frankly lovely smile, "That young lady is a beautiful question… Alright to start with you don't want to begin with Fire Dust…"

Jaune checked his scroll and found a message from Penny asking to meet him after class, She must have got my number from Ruby, thought why does she want to meet up with me? Weird but my next class is an hour after this one so I guess I can make it. He checked to see if the professor was still distracted and was pleased to see that Mulberry now had his back turned to the class and was writing something down on the board, allowing Jaune to reply to the message in safety.

Shifting his focus back to class he watched as the Professor finished answering Nora's question, "That's how I would make Polymeric Napalm but, it's not the only way to do it. You should try tinkering with the details until you find a mix that works best for you. Better yet and this applies to everyone regardless of what you're making: keep several different mixes on hand, there is no such thing as one size fitting all in this line of work. That is all for today and remember that your next part of your final is due in two weeks, for now, class dismissed."

When Penny had asked to meet Jaune after class he imagined that they would meet up somewhere on campus such as the library or the sparring fields, what he did not expect was for her to be already standing at the doorway, "Salutations friend Jaune! I was wondering if you would accompany me to classroom 3124?"

"Um, okay but why that classroom specifically?" he asked justifiably rather curiously, How long has she been waiting here?

Penny looked right into his eyes and with a great big smile answered, "I just wanted to be alone with you for a while and no one will be using that classroom for the next one hour and 32 minutes."

For a moment Jaune's brain stopped working before immediately rebooting and going into overdrive, Is this happening? Sure I always dreamed of getting a girlfriend and becoming a dynamic duo with her but I never thought it would happen! But I barely know this girl, I just met her today! Sure she's cute but that's not enough to start any kind of relationship, though maybe we can get to know each other? For a brief moment, he allowed himself to daydream to hope for maybe something could happen, but the reality of his situation was not something he could forget so easily, Romance is off the table until I know for sure that being with intimate with me won't harm anyone, I'll just have to let her down gently… goddamn it.

"Well friend Jaune, shall we depart?"

* * *

True to her word the classroom was indeed empty but he also noticed several other things about the room that she didn't mention with the most apparent of these being at all the windows in the room had their blinds drawn granting the pair near complete privacy. Furthermore, she neglected to inform him of the prepared bedroll and blankets that were now laying on the ground, Is this happening?

"Thank you for agreeing to come with me, Friend Jaune, but I'm sorry to say that I wanted you here so I could ask something else of you."

"Um, sure Penny ask away," Any second now these are going to be revealed to be a big misunderstanding.

"I want to examine your body."

Holy Shit this girl moves fast! I gotta nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand, "Look Penny I'm sorry I appreciate the offer like seriously I appreciate this but I'm… a little sick at the moment and I wouldn't want you to get sick as well," he made a silent prayer that this would be enough for her.

"But that's exactly why I want to examine you! Because friend Jaune I fear that you are very sick. So if you could please take off your clothes and lay down I can better scan your body, I'm also told that it can be embarrassing for a man to reveal their genitals so I bought a blanket so you can protect your modesty." She answered never once blinking or her voice never changing it was mechanical, unnatural and unnerving.

He took a step backward, "Sick? Scanning? What are you talking about?" Maybe it was just his condition reacting or perhaps it was just his mind growing paranoid but the longer he looked at her the more artificial she seemed.

"When I first saw you at the Docks I detected something wrong with your body so I did a little research as well as attempting to rescan you during breakfast, however, the results were… strange."

"Scans? Strange result? What does any of that mean?" Does she know? Did Gris tell her? No, she wouldn't need to examine me if he did.

"The results suggested that you are neither human or Faunus," she answered.

"You know what. I'm done, I'm done with this shit and believe me I am going to report this," he turned to leave the room.

"Wait Jaune! I didn't mean to offend you by saying that since I'm not human eith-," Penny covered her mouth to keep herself from talking further.

"What? You're not what!?" he demanded as his eyes began to change color. She didn't say anything, she wasn't even looking at him anymore and it only made him angrier it made him want to just stomp out of the room and report her to the headmaster but he couldn't, I don't even need a mirror to know what my eyes must look like and I can't risk going out like this.

"I'm… not a Human or a Faunus either, like you."

"Then what are you?"

Penny didn't say anything, instead, she just showed him.

* * *

Author's Notes: I did not intend this chapter to be so long but, I'm not complaining.

So first off Thumbelina, Iris, and Mulberry are all actual characters in the world of RWBY so that's cool. That being said, all three have never made an appearance in the show and they probably never will but, that's what fanfiction is for. As for possible romance... Honestly, I'm not sure I could write it well but I started posting here because I wanted to get better, so I'll tell you what: If I find myself enjoying the interactions between two characters and I believe a relationship can work then I will write it. It won't ever take center stage but it will happen.

Hmmm... maybe I should consider rewriting earlier chapters.


	19. Chapter 19

One day I'm going to look back on this and laugh, Jaune thought to himself as he laid down on the bedroll with nothing but a blanket preserving his modesty from the naive and very cute looking robot girl that was examining his body, Goddamit! Down boy! Down I said!

"Jaune are you okay? My scanners are indicating heightened body temperature and blood flow to your genital area, oh! I see now, this is what is called arousal which means that the blood flow is because you are having an erection," Penny cheerfully stated before a curious look came over her face, "Does that mean you find me sexually desirable?

"Well I um, you see. Um, you are kinda cute but," Please, someone, anyone kill me…

"I'm happy to hear that you find me desirable Jaune but I'm currently not looking for a romantic or sexual partner and even if I was I am currently unable to perform vaginal or anal intercourse in the receiving position because I lack the parts, for now. However, you do not need to worry as my father is working on amending that."

"What?" The moment that word left his mouth he screamed internally because he knew that he had just opened the doors to a conversation he did not want.

Penny began touching his chest to assist with the deep scan, Unknown Foreign Matter Detected, "Well, when my father built me he desired that I'd be able to live a complete life as a human being which was something that the General approved because it was believed that doing so would allow me to better relate with people thus increasing my willingness to protect them."

"That makes a bit of sense actually," he admitted.

"However my father is having trouble designing the proper orifices as well as the related organs. He has also run into some difficulty in getting the funding necessary to do so, that said I am still capable of performing all of the other positions and actions related to intercourse with the caveat that I am not of the receiving end of anything vaginal or anal. Furthermore, there are also a few fetishes that I am unable to perform such as-"

'How about we talk about something else, like Rage?" Please work! Just anything to get out of this mess!

"Of course Jaune, I suppose you would like to know how I acquired the information?" She said before suddenly coming close to his face and looking deep right into one of his eyes which allowed him to see what appeared to be numbers and symbols moving across her pupils, Sclera: Damaged - Iris: Damaged - Veins: Damaged.

"That would be a good place to start." Thank god it worked.

"I'm just...interested *hic* in current events going on in Vale, it is my first time away from Atlas after all and I want to learn as much as I can," She then moved on to his other eye. Sclera: Damaged - Iris: Damaged - Veins: Damaged.

"So, I guess that means you'll also be meeting up with Sun and Neptune to talk about the drug?"

"Of course I will! Even if the results of the discussion fails to further my understanding of the situation, it will be worth it just to interact with everyone else! But I couldn't help but notice that you included yourself in that meeting, are you also interested in the drug?" She asked Jaune before moving away from his eyes and turning her focus to his fingers. Major Irregularities Detected.

"Have you heard of my semblance?"

"I heard some people call you a zombie and others a berserker but it always confused me since body altercation has never been recorded as a semblance, I will admit that the rumors played a big role in my desire to perform a deep scan of your body. I'll be done soon by the way and if you'd like I would be happy to tell you the results." Penny soon noticed a bizarre look of joy and unease on Jaune's face. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable again… if you want, I'll stop and even delete what data I've acquired."

"But this is what you wanted, why would you just get rid of it just like that?"

"Because I want my friends' happiness more than I want data," she answered as if it was the most natural and obvious thing in the world.

At that moment everything about Penny changed in Jaune's eyes, he could no longer look at her and see a droid, the machine had been replaced by a smart but awkward girl just trying to fit in and get to know the people around her. She was just trying to be human, Just like me. "Penny you don't have to delete anything… you've probably heard about how my semblance works, right?"

"I've done more than heard Friend Jaune, I found video recordings of it in action."

"It's not a semblance, I… someone… did this to me, that's why I was so interested in the Rage case. That's why I suggested that the users had no idea what they were taking because…," he thought back to the nightmare, to the bar, the stranger and the drink. "I had no idea that the drink was tainted, that someone had put something in it and by the time I realized it… I'm lucky to even be alive."

Penny was shocked and found herself struggling with the idea of someone going out of their way to do something so unnecessary, so Illogical, so cruel so… Evil. Yes, that was the word she was looking for: Evil, Updating Lexicon. "That makes sense especially if one were to compare what is known of your false semblance to what we have seen from the alleged users, there does seem to be some striking similarities." Scan Complete, "The only thing left for me to scan is your spinal cord but I can do that just before you put on your shirt, in the meantime, I'll store away the bedroll and pillow."

Jaune got up and began putting on his clothes and then had a thought, "Hey Penny? How did you get this stuff in here without anyone seeing you?"

"I was assisted by a Cardin Winchester who helped procure the items and has been keeping people from entering the room while I examine your body. Which reminds me, I should text him to let him know that it's okay to let people back in." she blinked and with a smile added, "Message sent!"

"Wait, what!?" he hurried to put back his clothes but was stopped by Penny from putting on his shirt.

"I still need to scan your spinal cord, otherwise I won't be able to give you a complete and accurate analysis, oh! And Cardin messaged me back and requested that I tell you congratulations on getting laid, oh dear it appears as though he misunderstood the purpose of this was though I suppose it is my fault for not being clear. Apologies Friend Jaune, if you'd like I can tell people that you are an excellent lover."

"No, thank you!" He instantly answered as he thought to himself Well, of course, Cardin was going to misunderstand you, anyone, even Ruby would come to the same conclusion he did! A small and very mean part of him wanted to point it out and even berate her for lacking basic foresight but he soon thought better of it, She's still learning and besides, there is something far more important to talk about. "Hey, Penny? Did you mean what you said earlier about telling me exactly what's going on in my body?"

"Of course I will, I did promise after all but... I'm not sure you'll like it."

* * *

When Penny selected that classroom there were many factors that she took into account before settling on a room. One of the major things that she was looking for was privacy since even with her limited knowledge of social interactions she knew just enough to correctly guess that Jaune might not want any witnesses for the examination. So even when a room had been selected she took it upon herself to eliminate any possibility of an unwanted onlooker with the only exception being the security camera on the wall.

From the moment Qrow had discovered Jaune in the woods the boy was being monitored, his check-ups with Dr. Gris had been noted, his discussions with Dr. Riviera had been recorded, his meals, workouts and even his daily conversations have also been under the watchful gaze of Ozpin and his inner circle to determine whether the Knight was a danger to the people he wished to protect as well as to shield the boy from any of Salem's plans. But the one watching the boy now wasn't Ozpin or Glynda or anyone else who might have had the boy's best interests in mind.

"Hey, Penny? Did you mean what you said earlier about telling me exactly what's going on in my body?" asked the leper.

"Of course I will, it's only fair after all!" the artificial girl replied.

Overhearing this Professor Thumbelina took a break from working in the flower garden of her lovely apartment in uptown Vale and turned her attention to the scroll that she had left on a nearby stool. It wasn't her personal scroll but rather it was one she received from Watts shortly after she had agreed to spy on Jaune though why someone as smart as Arthur Watts cared about a good for nothing freak like Arc was something she did not know nor did she care. However, she was not blind to the fact that on that scroll was software that allowed her to connect to the security cameras inside the Academy, had there been any love in her heart for the school this might have been something that she would find disturbing but as things were she simply didn't care. Most days there was nothing worthwhile to be found within the footage of that wanna-be huntsman but she received payment regardless of what the film contained so she just kept sending it and that was all that mattered in the end for her. If it wasn't for that girl that Ironwood brought being involved she would have just done what she usually did and passively record, skim the footage, hit send and get paid sometimes in moderate amounts of cash and sometimes in small but helpful favors.

But right now her curiosity was dictating her actions and she had questions, for example, Jaune Arc was an enigma to her. He was someone who was clearly sick with some unknown disease and thus belonged in some quarantine ward in some hospital located far away from Vale. Yet here he was walking around in the open in the halls of Beacon wearing a student uniform instead of a hospital gown and to make matters worse Dr. Gris was keeping the brat's medical files locked away. And then there's the machine from Atlas who not only looked like a girl but insisted on acting like one! Where did Ironwood even find someone with the skills to build that? Normally I'd assume that it was just some sick pervert's fantasy but then why give it the skills to put her on par with Pyrrha Nikos!? Why give her will of her own and bring her to Beacon? If only Marilla didn't flunk initiation or was too broken to try again then she could just get the answers for me and I wouldn't have had to go this far to get to the bottom of this!

Feeling her temper wearing thin she marched into the kitchen and grabbed the iced tea that was already waiting for her on the counter and took a long sip just letting everything go and letting the medicinal leaves work their magic. "Breathe in and out, breathe in and out. Alright, let's just take a break and watch." She walked over to the scroll with the security footage and rewind to right before Penny started talking and hit play.

"-only fair after all!" the puppet replied.

Half an hour later the scroll was on the floor its screen cracked as a puddle of tea slowly snaked its way around the shards of a now shattered ceramic cup, while the professor leaned on the counter to keep herself from falling as she tried to process what she had just learned, "Grimmification!? Ozpin let a fucking Grimm into the school? I always knew that there was something off about that guy but this?" Normally she would be far too composed to ever let herself do anything as unsightly as talking aloud to herself but at this moment she needed to let loose. "That's why his medical records are kept under lock and key, that's why his aura doesn't work and why he's so prone to emotional outbursts! Because he's not a human or Faunus, he is Grimm a literal animal! I, I gotta do something!" Her first thought was to grab her spear, march up to the school and kill him just like any of other countless Grimm that she had slain during her career as a huntress and had she been still a student or even a recent graduate it would have been exactly what she had done.

But age and experience tend to mellow out a person or at the very least help keep them grounded. I need answers, she looked at the scroll on the floor and considered her next set of actions, Watts knows, he has to know what is going on otherwise why would he pay me for information on this boy? I can't trust Watts but I can't trust Ozpin either…, "I suppose this is the meaning of the phrase: Better the devil you know." With a sigh of resignation, she scooped the scroll from the floor and called Arthur who promptly answered.

"Hello Thumbelina, to what do I owe this pleasure?" In his voice was his characteristic assured self-importance, which got on her nerves, but it was also oddly sincere like he was happy to hear her voice. It was just a little bit disconcerting.

"That Arc boy is a Grimm and I want to know what's going on." The time for subtly is not now.

"My my, you are being rather upfront about this. I thought you hated most of those brats so why the concern?" he asked.

"Did you not hear what I just said, Arthur? There is a Grimm masquerading as a human in Beacon along with a machine that looks like a girl, the other Professors and even the Headmaster are in on it and don't even get me started on that drug that has been going around! So either you tell me what going on or I'll-"

"Gladly," he interrupted her.

"Wha what?" she was almost certain she misheard, "You're just going to tell me? Just like that?"

"There is no harm in me telling anything, after all, you are far too concerned about your position to throw it all away by informing anyone who might believe you, besides you're one of the handfuls of people working in that institution worth anything so I'd rather keep you as a friend."

Friend? This guy doesn't have any friends, just pawns and allies. Though he is right that Ozpin is simply out of the question and don't even get me started on the police, it looks like there isn't a choice not if I want to find out what's going on... "Fine, tell me what's going on but don't expect me to just believe whatever comes out of your mouth."

"What do you know about Grimm?"

* * *

For the first time and perhaps only time in his life Jaune was happy to have Professor Port as a teacher. Now to the man's credit, there were valuable nuggets of truth inside his stories which could also be entertaining at times. Furthermore, the fights he would occasionally arrange with live Grimm have been an excellent way to gain some experience, though having to cut himself free from the belly of a River King after the fight went south was something that he most certainly did not enjoy. Fortunately, there was no cage tucked away in the corner today which meant no fight which gave him time to consider what he had learned from Penny.

He didn't know much about medicine and even with Penny trying her best to explain things there were still plenty that he missed. However, he did understand that from a purely biological perspective he would no longer be considered human, had he learned this right at the beginning of his stay in Beacon he might have fallen into a pit so dark that he dared not think of what he would have done out of despair. However Penny, Bless her soul, was proof that you didn't need to be a human or a Faunus to still be a person, besides he still had his emotions, he was still capable of love, creative thought, and even forgiveness all things that the Grimm simply weren't capable of. You also crave the death of the man in your dreams and the desire to shed blood and that is something that the Grimm poses. But people can feel that way too and besides revenge and justice are concepts the Grimm could never understand. His retort seemed to quell the voice of doubt for now but he knew that it would be only a matter time before it reared its ugly head again, Bu I'l-

Jaune was snapped out of his inner monologue by the sound of a snarl and a rattling cage as the door to the classroom opened up revealing a scared man holding a scroll while standing in front of a caged Grimm. It was a species that he had never seen before but he recognized it thanks to stories that the rest of his team told him about some of the species of Grimm unique to Mistral.

"Um, I have a live Beringel for a Professor Peter Port?" The nervous man asked, looking at the chubby professor who walked right up the man and signed for the package before grabbing the still rattling cage and setting inside the classroom as though it was a chair instead of a biological machine of death.

"As you know from my many lectures on the subject, different regions have to deal with different types of Grimm and right here I have here is as the delivery man already said a Beringel! Take a close look and decide for yourself who amongst you want to tussle with this king of the jungle?" Port questioned the edger crowd.

The monster itself was about as large as a Beowolf standing on its hind legs and probably would be taller if it wasn't constantly hunching over, it was however much stouter than a Beowolf with its arms being of particular note, though lacking any claws the thickness of those arms left no doubt minds of these students at a single strike from those arms would cause incredible damage if not death to anyone lacking aura. Its body was covered with the boney armor unique to the Grimm but not to the point that most would think a creature like this would normally have but its hardy body was durable. This was a nightmare built to hit hard, move quick and take solid hits when it had to and it was now looking right at them with eyes desiring nothing but a painful death for everyone in this room and preferably by its own hands.

Naturally, this meant that several students were already volunteering to fight and kill the beast which was a sight that greatly pleased the Professor as he looked at the class. Jaune himself was tempted to fight the beast but decided that maybe the sight of his broken body regenerating was something that his peers didn't need to see… again.

"Nora Valkyrie come on down!"

"YESSSSSS!" in a blink of an eye she was already standing in front of the cage bouncing up a down with excitement and her treasured weapon Magnhild in its grenade launcher form ready to blow the gorilla-like monster from here and back to whatever pit it crawled out of and in return the beast howled in anticipation for the fight and banging on the bars with such ferocity that they started to bend.

Professor Port took out his signature blunderbuss ax and pointed at the lock on the cage, "Are you ready Miss Valkyrie?"

"Hell yeah, I'm ready!"

There was a gunshot and the sound of metal being rendered asunder as a miniature cannonball from Port's gun impacted against the lock crushing it and ripping through the reinforced steel like it was wet cardboard. It was a magnificent sight that went completely unnoticed because before the beast could even emerge from its confinement a hail of grenades showered the creature and destroyed the enclosure sending the remaining pieces flying right into a hard light shield which protected the students watching from the fight.

"Well that was very unsportsmanlike of you Miss Valkyrie however you are not hunting him for sport, so Extra Credit earned for excellent decision making!"

"Alight did you hear that Ren!" She turned to face her partner and gave him a wave right before the fist of the still very much alive Beringel smashed into the side of her face and sent her right into a wall forming a crater upon impact.

"And that's why you never let yourself be distracted!" Port pressed a button and Aura reader on everyone's scroll came to life revealing that the strike had taken out about half of the bomber's Aura which then dropped to a quarter as a follow-up strike from the brute drove her deeper into the wall and making her drop Magnhild. Port then moved closer tightly gripping his weapon and getting ready to intervene should it become necessary to save his student.

The monster stared right into her eyes looking for any sign of fear as it pinned her to the wall with one arm as the other arm raised ready to break her aura and then snuff out her life with one last attack, then it would kill the fat man and everyone else in the room! But then the girl just grinned at him before raising a fist of her own and driving it into the wall instead of himself, had he been a person her actions would have no doubt befuddled him but instead all he felt was rage over the fact that she was still alive and thusly his free arm lashed out at her only for her other hand to catch his fist and effortlessly hold it there.

Everyone in the classroom except the professor and Team PRAN was shocked by her sudden display of strength and then that feeling of surprise became astonishment when the devil in ape form started screaming in pain as electricity worked its way through its body.

"No way! Her Aura levels are rising!" Someone in the class declared causing most of the students to peel their eyes away from the fight to look at the reader which did indeed show Nora's Aura level somehow being restored and even going above 100%. "How is this possible?"

As a Grimm, its normal thoughts revolved around death and how to swiftly deliver it to those whose only crime was existing. However, another thought now entered it's mind: Escape. The Grimm do not feel fear but they do understand the concept of self-preservation so with all its strength it tried to run but the girl kept a hold of him until the arm that buried itself into the wall suddenly burst out and ran into his chest with enough force to send his body careering into the wall on the opposite side of the room forming another crater.

Nora moved away from the wall and picked up her hammer making the room go silent, with the natural exception of her teammates who were cheering along with Ruby and Yang. Pink electricity was visibly running through Nora' skin and into her weapon has she cautiously approached the Grimm who was lying on the floor and struggling in vain to get up, it saw her and gave a weak roar before Magnhild came down on its head crushing the skull and ending the unholy beast's unnatural life as the entire classroom erupted into cheers.

"Sadly I can only give you a B minus for that display Miss Valkyrie," the Professor stated.

"What!? But I kicked its butt!"

"Did you though? Or did you just get lucky that your prey punched you into a wall with enough force to allow you to break through the tempered steel which lines the wall thus granting you access to the electrical wiring hidden inside? What if your Semblance wasn't Electrical Abosortion but rather something like Miss Belladonna's Aura Clones? Or Mr. Tusk's Aura Platforms? What if your Semblance made you faster rather than stronger?" He passed for a moment to let her process everything that he had just said. "I'm sorry Miss Valkyrie but while it was an entertaining match this score reflects your overall ability to handle the Grimm in question and to be frank, had this been an encounter on the field you would have probably been killed by the beast."

"Then why a B minus? Why not lower?" she asked as she returned to her seat.

"Because you bombarded the Beringel before it could even exit the pen, you kept calm and formed a plan even while being pummeled and promptly finished off the beast instead of letting the fight drag out by attempting some overly complicated and time-consuming feat of acrobatics. However, the biggest reason is that I feel like you would have easily won had you not distracted yourself by waving at your partner."

"Well can I at least improve my grade by smashing another Gorilla?" Nora asked after she placed her hammer back into whatever dimensional pocket she had originally pulled it out from.

"Why of course you can! In fact, I'm going to get another Bringel as soon as possible, hopefully, I can acquire a silverback this time! Jaune! How would you like to tussle with another River King?"

For the briefest of moments, the boy flashed back to the warm slimy and dark insides of the creature's belly as the fleshy walls tried to smother him to death. "Can I fight something else instead?"

"How about a Bicorn?" The professor asked.

"What is that?"

"It's basically a unicorn with two horns and it's also evil."

"Deal."

"Wonderful! Now before I end class I want to remind you all that the homework is to research a Grimm that you may have problems fighting against and come up with a strategy to defeat it one your own with the assumption that you are fighting it inside of its natural environment! Please remember that I've seen you all fight either here in the classroom or elsewhere so I will know if you are bullshitting me! Class Dismissed!"

Just like that everyone rose out of their seats and began conversing with each other talking about a variety of subjects as they made their way towards the door. "Hey, Jaune!" Ruby's voice rose above the crowd as she made her way over to him with quick use of her semblance to go over the heads of everyone else as her team followed after her.

Under most circumstances, he would have been happy to talk to Ruby or anyone else on her team, but he had a feeling that the topic was going to be the time he spent with Penny. It's already bad enough the Cardin is going to spread rumors about us. Penny doesn't need me making things worse by saying the wrong thing. I got to set the record straight but how? Before he could think of anything she was already standing in front of him.

"Nora was awesome! Seriously what kind of training are you guys doing? Come on, tell me!" she turned to face Nora, "And you! You have got to let me tinker with that weapon of yours!" She turned back to face Jaune "The same goes for you and the rest of your team!"

"Well I suppose Storm Flower could use a bit of tinkering, it's lack stopping power leaves much to be desired," Ren thoughtfully answered.

Pyrrha scratched her chin for a bit as she thought things over, "Miló could benefit from being reforged to be a bit longer."

"What's wrong Pyrrha? Getting bored with handling short swords all day? Trying to get your hand around something bigger and more… fulfilling?" asked Yang who had sprinted forward just to be able to make that joke.

"Seriously Yang please try to have a modicum of class," Weiss spoke after she and Blake had caught up.

The Faunus turned to the knight and asked, "By the way, Jaune were you and Penny by any chance talking about the White Fang or the Rage drug?"

"Blake whatever Jaune and Penny were talking about is their own business!" the Heiress snapped but it was clear that she along with everyone else was indeed curious. They just didn't want to be the one to ask.

Internally he leaped for joy thanks to Blake unintentionally giving him a way out of the situation, not to mention we did talk about the drug amongst other things so I won't be lying! "Actually yeah, we did talk about the drug and what was going on in the city. We just wanted to speak in private because we didn't want other people overhearing our wild theories and coming to the wrong conclusion."

If he was, to sum up, the look they were giving him in one word it would be, doubt. They seemed to believe that he and Penny did talk and he was willing to bet that they believed that he and Penny were sharing theories. The problem was that they also seemed to believe that the two of them did more than just talk, I'm not even going to try and explain what happened though Cardin might be a problem but let's be honest they aren't going to trust a single word out of his mouth. But maybe it wouldn't hurt to change the conversation… "Hey, Yang I heard from Ruby that you've got a date this weekend with Coco is that true?"

The brawler's face split into a wide grin, "Sure is, though it mostly an excuse to ask Coco a few questions about the stuff that's been going on lately. That said it's still technically a date and I'm a little excited, it'll be my first time going out with another girl even if it's to do a little investigating."

Ruby then stepped in, "Sis isn't the only one spending her weekend investigating, Weiss is going to the CCT to get some info from her company while Blake and I scout out some potential hideouts! Blake is even helping me with a disguise!"

Blake explained, "I'm going to use some makeup to mimic the scales of a chameleon Faunus, it won't trick anyone close but as long as we keep a fair distance they shouldn't suspect anything."

Suddenly the doors to the classroom swung open as Velvet rushed into the room and towards them with her scroll in hand and an anxious look on her face. Before they could get a single word in she reached them and thrust the device forward revealing a paused video, "Have you seen this?" she asked everyone at once.

"What is it?"

"The White Fang uploaded a video and you guys need to see it before the council takes it down!" without any further explanation she hit play.

* * *

The video started and the viewers were greeted by the sight of Adam Taurus standing in a clean well lit room that lacked any identifying features that might have given away or even provided any clues on his location. The man wasn't dressed in his signature coat though he was wearing his mask, instead, he wore a modified version of the standard uniform worn by most of the rank and file, it had the effect of making him seem less like a terrorist and more like a legitimate authority figure.

"Citizens of Vale," he spoke calmly to try and mask his disdain for all humankind. My name is Major Adam Taurus and I am the leader of the Vale Branch of the White Fang now that introductions are out of the way I will get to the point. The White Fang had nothing to do with the creation or distribution of Rage. Our mission is to expose corruption and fight against oppressors of the Faunus race. The goals we wish to achieve is to provide strength, safety, hope, and the means to fight back and be heard against the ones who stand in the way of true progress, the ones who would try to convince you that our treatment after the Great War was fair rather than the slap in the face that it was, who claim that the Faunus Right Revolution was triggered by trouble makers who can never be satisfied rather than the reality that it was humans trying and failing to force their cruel will on those who just refused to accept a life of servitude!"

He paused for a moment but it wasn't to catch her breath, instead, he started walking around the room as the camera followed him soon revealing a door leading to a corridor that he began traveling through, "Many of you are probably wondering what that history lesson had to do with Rage, good that means that you are thinking. The answer is that the number of Faunus victims is being severely underreported and in many cases are being flat out ignored in favor of humans." He spat out that last word with such hatred that he had to take a moment to recompose himself.

He then reached a point where the hallway split into two other directions one continuing straight ahead with a window at the end and another path going right, Adam took the turn revealing a short hallway with a pair of doors at the end and kept going walking till he reached the doors. "Now I know what some of you are thinking, and you are correct to doubt my words after all great claims require great evidence… well here is my evidence."

He opened the door and walked inside the room which was filled with hospital beds and masked medical professionals checking on the patients laying on the bed some which were sedated, all which were Faunus of various ages. For the first time, the camera panned away from the Major to focus on the victims of the drug as Adam kept talking, "We have not only rescued these people but we are currently working on their recovery after they were exposed to multiple doses of Rage at the hands of those who cannot accept the results of the Faunus Rights War. You heard me right, some Humans have gone out of their way to forcibly expose our people to this poison."

The focus shifted to one patient, in particular, a large man under sedation. "This is Tukson the owner and founder of Tukson's Book Trade, a store which some of you may remember was vandalized the same day he suddenly went missing. We found him inside a cage being forcefully administered Rage by a group of human supremacists who called themselves the Hunter's Lodge. Tukson and a few others had been kidnapped by this group who had acquired a stash of that vile concoction and were planning on releasing their captives on an unsuspecting public along with their manifesto which would decry all of Faunus-kind as rabid animals... and you people call us terrorists. But, don't take my word for it, you can ask these people yourself. Letters containing the address of this facility have already been sent to the police so that they can take these people back home and have a chance to do their job by delivering justice to those who deserve it regardless of their race."

The camera moved back to Adam who carefully took off his mask revealing a face that would have normally been considered rather handsome but, it was horrifically marred by a dead eye and burn scar tissue on the left side of his face in the shape of the Schnee Dust Company Logo. "To my fellow Faunus, I ask, how much longer we are going to keep turning the other cheek? Humans demand Civility from us and yet they have never acted Civil, again and again, we have been mistreated, ignored, exploited and denied justice! And yet somehow we're the troublemakers!? We are the White Fang, we wear the faces of Grimm to remind Humanity that we are the monsters they created through their own words, actions, and inaction. We are the constant reminder that their crimes have not been forgotten nor will they ever be forgiven, Glory to Faunus-Kind!"

The video ended.

* * *

Just like Adam had hoped the footage and the recovery of the patients had an immediate impact throughout the halls of Beacon and the streets of Vale as students and citizens alike began arguing back and forth about what they had just seen. The Council of Vale initially had ordered the video taken down but it would soon prove to be a futile effort as the film was being reuploaded faster than they could remove it, furthermore the backlash from the public outcry over their actions soon put an end to any further attempts to silence the film. An emergency meeting was called by the council to discuss how to best move forward and Ozpin as the headmaster of Beacon was to attend. Before leaving to go to what was sure to be a long and ultimately fruitless debate Oz decided that it would be wise to call a meeting of his inner circle to converse and decide their next move.

"Gris is currently busy with the treatment of a student who attempted to make Gravity Dust on her own. According to him, she will recover and is very much eager to continue her training but she will be on pain medications for the rest of her life. Dr. Reviera is trying to talk her out of it but she's insistent and it is doubtful that he will succeed," reported Glynda.

"Well, at least there are still some people who care about doing their job around here!" Ironwood roughly stated. "Honestly, when it comes to the Faunus I'd expect this sort of negligence from the police force back in Atlas but I thought Vale was supposed to be better than this."

Under normal cases either Ozpin or Glynda sometimes both would have stepped in and said something to defend the law enforcement of their kingdom, however, Adam's words and the rescued Faunus had left their faith somewhat shaken as old societal wounds that they had thought healed were suddenly ripped opened exposing the ugly truth that it never really healed. But that doesn't mean it can't be healed, the old wizard thought to himself, "Then you will be pleased to hear James that the police have requested the assistance of Beacon both in regards to investigating the drug which I already have Gris and Professor Peach working on. Beason will also be assisting them when it comes time to conduct raids and make arrests which I believe we can all agree would be an excellent experience for our students. Naturally, we will have professors and some licensed Huntsmen present as well."

"About the students," James softly spoke while pacing around the room, "The new Fall Maiden will need bodyguards but not just anyone, she will need people she can be comfortable around and that she already trusts and have worked with in the past."

"Their teammates," Spoke Glynda understood what he was suggesting.

"Not necessarily but they would be ideal, I also believe that we need to speed up the selection process. Frankly having a new Maiden before the Vytal Festival would be the best-case scenario," James replied.

Ozpin pressed a few buttons on his scroll and a projector came to life as a list of various teams came into view with Team RWBY, PRAN and CFVY being at the top of the list. "These three teams are currently the most promising though I admit that I'm also taking into consideration the time that they will remain under our care," Ozpin explained.

Glynda walked up to the projected image and with her riding crop to pointed at the image of Team CFVY which caused all the other names to fade leaving only the profiles of the team members, "Here we are considering Velvet Scarlatina due to her semblance which would make training her extremely easy furthermore her team have also proven themselves in their missions. They have won fights that would have been a challenge for even licensed teams but they also understand when it is time to retreat."

"There are two concerns we have with Velvet with the first being her low Aura reserves and the second being the fact that her weapon Anesidora is reliant on Hard Light Dust, which often results in her having to take a backseat to the rest of her team," Ozpin added.

The riding crop left the screen which returned the to the list, she then selected Team RWBY, " here we have two possible the choices with the first pick being Yang Xiao Long due to her large Aura reserves, Semblance, her skills in CQC and her surprising maturity no doubt caused by her acting like a surrogate mother to her little sister. Frankly, we are lucky that she chose to become a Huntress rather than an arena fighter," Glynda concluded.

Ironwood remembered something, Didn't I hear something about Yang recently in the news? Oh, that's right! She wrecked a nightclub. "We will have to do something about her temper first," he added while the other agreed with him.

Glynda continued "Another thing about Yang is that she relies far too heavily on her semblance and has a tendency to charge headfirst. The Second pick is Weiss Schnee whose Semblance and skill in Dust Usage might make her the most potentially powerful Maiden we've ever seen. As for the team, they had a rough start but that is in the past, we can trust them to support each other making them fine bodyguards and better friends."

"However Weiss has a target painted on her back and White Fang activity has skyrocketed, not to mention that Jacques will remain an obstacle as long as she is the Heiress," James pointed out.

Finally, the screen shifted to display the members of team PRAN, "Pyrrha Nikos is the obvious choice here as her skills are unquestionable and are only going to get better but even more noteworthy is the effort she's made to help her team grow and come together. I will honestly admit that I find her efforts admirable and the fact that they have paid off is simply praiseworthy, if she wasn't already a household name in Mistral I would recommend giving her the Maiden powers. However, she isn't the only choice."

Pyrrha's profile changed to the Pink Grenadier as a surprised look came over the General, "Nora Valkyrie? But I was under the impression that you considered her a trouble maker."

"While Miss Valkyrie most certainly needs to work on her self-control her erratic behavior hides a cunning mind, her Semblance also possesses a surprising synergy with the Maiden Powers and as a survivor of Kuroyuri village, she's experienced first hand the kind of tragedies that Salem is so fond of creating but has emerged stronger as a result. As a Maiden, she would be the most self-sufficient of them all. However, whichever one is chosen the others will support them and Jaune Arc's condition plus Lie Ren's Semblance means they may very well be all but invisible to the Grimm. That being said Mister Arc's condition is still shrouded in many unknowns thus making him a risk."

Ironwood examined the candidates presented and carefully began to weigh the pros and cons of each one before a clever idea popped into his head, "Do we have to pick someone in Beacon? Does it even have to be a student?"

"You're thinking of your Lieutenant Winter Schnee," Oz observed.

"Not entirely but, I do admit that I think she would be an excellent choice," he answered honestly. "Rather I was thinking of the possibility of giving the power to a student from another academy since Salem is focusing here. Of course, we could always give the power over to an already licensed huntress but that would also require bringing in someone new to the inner circle."

"Like Lieutenant Schnee?"

The general gave a small laugh, "Well she is my protege and hopefully my successor. She's ready Oz, all she needs is a chance to earn your trust and I assure you that she will exceed all your expectations as she did with mine."

Ozpin wondered how to best respond to his friend's request, Winter is a rather intelligent woman but she lives up to her name for too well for my tastes. Then again several of my greatest allies have been people that I originally thought I wouldn't like and even then I don't have to like her to trust her… but I do need to know her, "Well in light of recent events we will be needing extra security for Vytal Festival and woman of her caliber would be much appreciated should thing take a turn for the worse and if they don't, it will still be a fine opportunity for me to get to know her." he looked at the general and saw that James was accepting but a little disappointed since waiting for the Festival meant that the Lieutenant would not be chosen for the Fall Maiden. I'm sorry old friend but I believe it's for the best that the power stays in Vale where I can keep her safe. Unless you fail her like you've failed so many others, you old fool.

He pushed the voice of doubt back into the dark recesses of his weary mind, knowing full well that it would never truly be gone and had only been strengthened with every lifetime. Sometimes he wondered if the gods were punishing him for being the reason why Salem did what she had done so very long ago and other times he considered the possibility that they were just sadistic. There was yet another part of him that recoiled at the mere thought of issuing such a human trait to the Brothers, however, it wasn't a reaction based on any respect he had for them. Instead, it was because they were far too alien to ever understand their own creations which in an odd and rather depressing way meant that what happened back then was inevitable.

"Ozpin?"

The sound of Glynda's voice snapped him out of his introspection and back into the reality of the task before him, No matter who you chose you will be killing Amber and altering a young woman's life for the worst as well as dragging her team into a pointless war. Why do you even try anymore, what are you even trying to accomplish these days? He gritted his teeth and turned back to the list ignoring his ever-growing fear that nothing he did ultimately mattered. I need to do this, I need to do whatever I can to protect as many people as possible. It is as simple as that! So to protect people you lie to people and send them to their deaths knowing full well that their sacrifice doesn't matter? That's not true! Every single one of their sacrifices mattered every single one made a difference! Stop lying to yourself…

"Oz, are you okay? We can put this off till later, that way Gris and possibly even Qrow can be present for this," Ironwood suggested.

"I assure you that I'm fine, I am just… tired," So very tired.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Adam's youtube debut was originally going to be in the next chapter but I think we can all agree that it was time to cut the fluff and start cranking up the tension so next chapter will be the start of Sun and Neptune's Junior Detective Adventures!

As for the River King, it is an adult-sized Grimmified frog that stands on its hind legs freeing the arms to grab. They are fast swimmers and possess a powerful leap and have a long barbed tongue used to weaken prey. They are aggressive and will try to kill people by swallowing them whole and smothering them to death inside the belly. In fact, in my headcanon, Grimm does not have stomach acid since Aura will just shield any huntsmen that get caught thus allowing them plenty of time to break free. However, Aura can't protect you from a lack of air thus smothering is much more effective since it also comes with the benefit of limiting their prey's movements.

That said, River Kings were considered a failure by Salem since a prepared huntsman can take advantage of being swallowed to kill the creature from the inside out. In the past, there was an incident were a huntress wiped out an entire lake full of River Kings by use of explosives to thin the hoard and then purposely letting herself get caught by the survivors so she could kill them one at a time, afterward she retired and became a blacksmith in a small village in Mistral. Unknown to the huntress the results of the battle were reported to Salem who then decided to stop creating River Kings.


	20. Chapter 20

The door to Ozpin's office slammed opened and the air filled the sounds of two pairs of distinct and angry footsteps which were rapidly approaching his desk, the Headmaster didn't even have to look up to know who it was, The clicking of heels and the stomping of combat boots which can only mean Ms. Goodwtich and Dr. Gris. No doubt they have some objections in regards to the mission I entrusted to PRAN and honestly I can't blame them, I just hope they'll understand my reasons. He looked up from his desk and did not even try to look surprised, "Glynda, Gris I suppose this is about the upcoming raid."

Glynda opened her mouth to speak but looked back to Gris and nodding her head as he nodded back before stepping aside and letting him take the lead, "Youse decided ta work with da cops and I ain't gotta problem wit dat, I didn't even ave an issue when youse decided to lend some of da student ta help wit raids and shits but wat da two of us do gotta problem wit da ones ya picked fer this one, dat is wat were ere ta talk ta youse about! Glynda ya wanna take it from ere?"

"Thank you, Doctor Gris," She walked up to her employer and mentor and with all the quiet solemn dignity that a woman as respected and accomplished as her could muster she slapped down with her riding crop right on Ozpin's neglected paperwork with enough force that the sound began to echo through the room, "Mr. Wukong and Mr. Vasilias I'll happily admit are excellent choices however why are you including team PRAN in something as dangerous as a SWAT raid on a building that may be possibly storing Rage? Not to mention the information we received suggests that there may be some addicts inside the building being kept as some sort of guard! So what pray tell is your logic here!?"

The old wizard had to force back a smile since doing so would most certainly make the two even angrier than they were already and rightly so even if his smile was one born from pride rather than arrogance, They care so much about those children I'm honestly lucky to have these two, "Team PRAN has a combination of skills and teamwork which make them uniquely qualified to handle a situation like this."

"I understand and I agree Sir that they are well equipped on paper however there are some upper-year teams and in fact, I can list five off the top of my head who not only are prepared to handle such a raid but would be objectively better choices based solely on their experience alone," Glynda quickly responded shooting down his excuse.

"But are they just as invested?" He asked both Goodwitch and Gris. "Jaune needs this, he needs to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the problem is being handled and he needs to play a role in it. Ever since this curse was forced onto him he has felt like a powerless victim and that directly affects his ability to control his condition, this raid won't free him but; it will put control of his own life back in his hands!" Ozpin pulled out his scroll and pressed a few buttons and turned the computer screen on his deck to face the other two professors as a video started to play.

It was a video of Jaune sleeping and having what appeared to be a nightmare, Ozpin then sped up the footage till he reached the point when the boy began to transform in his sleep, "Pause da video," Gris suddenly spoke and Oz quickly obliged.

"What's wrong Doctor?" Glynda asked.

Dr. Gris ignored her and instead pulled out his scroll while keeping his eyes on the television set. Looking over his shoulder and at his open scroll, Glynda could see that he was looking at pictures taken of Jaune in various stages of transformation and was comparing what he had to what was on screen. While she was an incredibly intelligent woman she also lacked a Doctorate in Medicine or Biology however that was something she more than made up for in attention to detail, He's changing! Jaune is slowly becoming more and more Grimm-like over time! No, that's not right, there would be behavioral changes if that was the case but the transformations are becoming more significant.

"When did dis happen? How long ave you ben holding to dis Ozpin!" Gris all but roared at the Headmaster who calmly took it. "Wat else ave you been hiding from me from us?"

"I only just discovered it myself after looking through some footage yesterday," Oz answered.

Glynda stepped forward, "But that still means you've kept it to yourself rather than immediately sharing it with Dr. Gris! Ozpin, what could possibly possess you to withhold information like this while sending Mr. Arc on a mission especially one involving a drug den that that's filled with Rag-!," she stopped herself and a look of shock and realization dawned on her face which soon warped into a snarl the like that neither of the men in the room had ever seen in the past, "You…," she hissed out with barely contained anger dripping from her voice and threatening to burst, "You're planning on making that boy and his team into guardians just like STRQ and god only know how many more there has been."

This anger was the exactly the sort of response that Ozpin fully expected and it was one he could not fault her or anyone else for having, So many brave men and women, each one a true hero and each one either retired early due to what they have experienced or died well before their time and what has any of their sacrifices actually accomplished? A stalemate that might just be crumbling before my eyes…

"Well, youse gonna answer or not?" Gris asked, snapping Ozpin out of his thoughts and back to the conversation at hand.

I've been letting these past few events get to me, I need to refocus, I need to take control of the situation. "Salem is making her move which means that something major has changed and she now sees an opportunity to sweep us all aside to get the Relics, we need more guardians," Oz firmly spoke.

"But why them? Why not some other team of Huntsmen, why not one of the older teams like perhaps Team GREN who are graduating by the end of the semester and have already proven that they truly want to help others?" Glynda reasoned.

"Because they haven't seen how bad things can truly become, Jaune, on the other hand, has been mentally and physically violated by her and yet he stands ready to fight with his team behind him. RWBY is already far too intertwined in all of this even if they are still ignorant and that is a blessing that already is being pulled out of their hands. CFVY has experienced first hand the horror of failing to save anyone and despite that, they are stronger than ever and it won't just be Beacon, I've already spoken to Leo and James about training a guardian team of their own and they are eager."

"Dat still don't explain why you withheld dis info from me," Gris pointed out while leering over Ozpin and staring right into his eyes unflinchingly making it very clear that this was not an issue he was willing to let go.

"You would have tried to stop Jaune from going and he deserves to be there when his attacker is brought to justice and being able to play an active role in that process will do more good for him than a hundred therapy sessions even with someone as talented as Dr. Riviera," answered Ozpin.

For a moment it looked like Gris would reach out across the desk and grab the headmaster as Goodwtich stood there wondering if she should intervene. Fortunately, it never became a necessity as Gris settled back down on his own with a reserved sigh before looking back at his boss "Look Oz, dis can't keep happening. Youse can't keep hiding dis shit from us."

"I understand your-"

"Shut up and let me finish you asshole... how long before da raid?" Gris asked.

"It's at the end of the week," Ozpin answered.

"Plenty of time fer a crash course on procedures…"

"Leave it to me," said Glynda, stepping forward to volunteer, "They'll miss some classes but a day out there is worth a week here. I'll get them ready, I just need to know all the details of the operation to prepare them."

"One more thing Oz," Gris spoke as he glared at his friend and employer. "Dis bullshit better not happen again ya hear? Cuz if it does I'm out, I won't be a part of yer school or yer inner circle no more." Right after the words left his mouth a gasp escaped the lips of Glynda. But it was Ozpin that caught Gris's attention, the man looked hurt and even a little betrayed but Gris didn't change his mind, "I refuse to ave anything to do wit a guy who'd go behind my back like dat and throw da kids in da line of fire of a war they don't understand, dis is yer first and only warning, knock dis shit off or you'll be choking on my resignation letter. Understood?"

* * *

Many people find it difficult to understand just how big the city of Vale was. It is not enough to simply recite the results of the lastest citizen's census or study a map of the city. Vale was constantly growing and changing and it wasn't just Vale, the same could be said for all the capital cities of all the kingdoms except for Atlas and even then it found other ways to grow. Expansion, was the name of the game and it was one that single person on Remmanet played a part in one way or another and like every other game there were winners like the small island community of Patch where Ruby and Yang hailed from but, there were also losers such at the ruined city turned graveyard on Mount Glenn.

However not all stories ended so horrifically, most times it was just a series of little things that happened to add up with the final result of being the residents moving on with their lives leaving nothing but empty buildings behind. When that happens the Council if possible will reacquire and then auction off the buildings and it was through such an auction that Beacon had managed to acquire several properties to aid in the education of the next generation of Huntsmen such as Team PRAN who were currently standing in front of one such building while their bodies were covered in a variety of bright paints thanks to the machinations of Sun and Neptune who were noticeably clean in comparison and were currently performing a victory dance.

Professor Goodwitch walked up to team PRAN who shuddered no doubt expecting a stern lecture but it never came, instead, she looked them over and gently asked: "What happened?"

Pyrrha as the leader of the team stepped forward to answer, "We entered the building and began searching for the hostiles but…," She looked over to Sun and Neptune before looking back at Glynda, "They were a little more prepared than we anticipated and as you can see they had some traps prepared for us."

Glynda despite what the girl feared wasn't upset by this outcome this was exactly what the professor thought and even hoped would happen by forcing this inexperienced team to face off against the still celebrating pair, "Ms. Nikos allow me to assure you that the raid you'll be participating in will be nothing like this." Pyrrha and the rest of her team did not attempt to hide their relief over the news but that feeling was soon replaced with confusion as they wondered what the point of the exercise even was. This also something that Goodwitch foresaw would happen was something that she would not permit to continue, "What this exercise was meant to accomplish was to teach two lessons with the first being rushing in with a lack of information and the second is underestimating the situation. Take for example your opponents Mr. Wukong and Mr. Vasilias are just two men who would quickly lose in a straight fight."

"That's fair," the pair admitted.

She continued, "However they have trained for this sort of situation and were given information on the building's layout alongside some additional information on your team plus the time to prepare and the results speak for themselves." She paused to let them process what they just heard before continuing. "When you assist in that raid you will do so against people who most likely won't have their aura's unlocked and the ones who do will most certainly not have even a fraction of the training you have. You will go in with full knowledge of the building's layout and you will be receiving backup from the police but if you fail to take the situation seriously people will be hurt and you better believe that the opposition you'll encounter will not be as kind as your fellow trainees. Some will not surrender, there might be traps or even hostages and there will be people whose only crime was that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time but it won't matter. They will be used against you and we only have a few days to get you all ready." She would have to be blind to somehow miss the effects her words were having on PRAN whose faces and posture were putting doubt and nervousness on full display for all to see.

"Miss Goodwitch, may I ask a question?" Ren asked.

"You may."

"Why was this mission assigned to us?"

Glynda thought it over, on the surface, it was a simple question but it was one whose true answer was something that they were not ready to hear and if they were lucky it was something they would never be ready for, she would have to lie. "This team is uniquely equipped to deal with situations like this; the only thing you all lack is a chance to practice it. Besides, all students of Beacon are required to assist law enforcement in one capacity or another before they are allowed to graduate, you are simply getting a head start on the matter." It wasn't a complete lie but that did very little to make her feel any better.

"But surely there are other teams better prepared than us," Jaune suddenly spoke up surprising everyone, especially Glynda. "Please don't misunderstand me, I want to do this!" I need to do this, "But I don't want to put others at risk," He turned to the rest of his team, "Look guys I'm sorry but that is just how I feel."

Pyrrha walked over him and placed a soft hand on his shoulder, "Never apologize for being concerned about others, but don't underestimate yourself either Jaune. They wouldn't give us this mission if they didn't think we could complete it."

"I mean come on Jaune! You're a berserker, Ren's basically a Ninja, I can bench five of me on a bad day, Pyrrha is Pyrrha, Sun's got them abs and Neptune is cool!" Nora excitedly added.

"Thanks, Nora! You guys are pretty cool yourselves," Neptune said, "Besides you guys did just fine for your first drill when Sun and I first started training we accidentally set the building on fire!"

"Yeah it's true, they kicked us both out of the program for that one. The only reason they let us back in was that the clean up revealed so many health and safety code violations that the police declared the building a bonfire that was waiting to happen so they couldn't prove we had anything to do with it. Headmaster Lionheart had so much paperwork to do that day," Sun spoke as he fondly remembered the aftermath before leaning in close and whispering with a wink, "It really was our fault."

Standing off to the side Glynda took in the sight of these youths acknowledging their doubts and supporting each other to make up for their shortcomings. It was something that would have filled the hearts of many an educator with joy but Goodwitch, on the other hand, felt an odd feeling beginning to swell up an ugly sick feeling that was shaking her, tempting her. Despite the boy's smile, the doubt was still there, festering just below the surface and with just a few choice words she would be able to bring it back to the forefront. It would hurt him now but it would save him so much pain down the line, it would save all of them from becoming pieces in a war beyond their understanding. Sure he'd miss an opportunity to confront a personal demon but there will be the other chances…

She took a step forward which was noticed by the students who immediately reformed into a line and waited for her next set of instructions. For a moment she was taken aback by their instantaneous actions and took a moment to consider her options, Ozpin thought that Jaune would leap at this opportunity, but he was wrong. He is very much willing but there is still doubt and not without reason. "Being able to acknowledge when you are not the best choice for a mission is a mark of a good Huntsman though I fear you may be selling yourself a little short." She looked over to the rest of Jaune's teammates and observed them, on the surface they were all fine but Glynda knew what to look for and found it in each one of them, They way they hold their weapons, the glances they give each other and even the way they stand at attention… They're scared of failure and they should be. "Police Raids are usually conducted incredibly early in the morning or late at night, therefore, to prepare you all for the mission the actual training will start at exactly midnight tonight. You are not required to attend and refusal will not affect your grades or your prospects, the only consequence is that the mission will be handed to another team as your resume regular lessons… if you decide to continue then all you have to do is be here by the time drills begin but know that I won't let you change your mind afterward. You are all dismissed."

* * *

Weiss took a deep breath to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do, You're being ridiculous just go inside and get the information, that's it! What the worst can happen? Father will be too busy counting money to care about what you're doing and even if he does so what? He is far too busy to act like a father. With confidence, Weiss began her march up the stairs and into CCT. Once inside it was a laughably matter to gain access to the proper console and within minutes she was in contact with a representative of the company.

"Greetings, Ms. Schnee, would you like me to connect you with your father?"

"Thank you but that won't be necessary, all I need for today are copies of the following documents," Weiss sent the requests over and made a silent wish as she did so. If one were to skim the list they would most likely find nothing wrong as most of the information she was asking for was rather mundane and even the more sensitive documents could be easily explained away, however, hidden amongst the unremarkable were several documents of a highly sensitive nature that while she still had access to, it would raise a few eyebrows to include those of her father.

"Uh, Miss Schnee? Some of these documents are a little…"

Shit, Putting on a fake smile Weiss looked at the concerned employee and put into practice the only useful lesson she ever learned from her father, how to lie, "I appreciate your concern and I can assure that I am very well aware of the sensitive nature of certain... sections of those documents and I can guarantee you that they will be well kept out of the public's eyes." she watched as the representative mulled it over wondering what to do and for a second Weiss felt a pang of guilt over the distress she was causing this loyal employee who just wanted to avoid losing their job, Am I going to get this man fired? But we need the information on those documents to find out everything that the White Fang has stolen which might also have a clue on where it's all being kept!

Suddenly the man placed a finger on his earpiece and looked at her apologetically for a moment before pressing a button which caused the image on the screen to change to that of her father, Jacques Schnee. "Well, young lady are you going to explain your actions?"

There was a sick feeling in her stomach as she fought back an urge to look away from this man who would not hesitate to use any weakness to get what he wanted, Calm down Weiss he only has power over you if you let him. Forcing herself to smile she asked, "I suppose you mean the incident at the Docks?"

"Is there any other incident I should be aware of Weiss?" He sternly spoke while giving her a look that would have withered an employee but that was not Weiss, she was not someone who could be cowed into submission which frustrated him. Why aren't you more like your mother? At least she knows her place!

"Is there something wrong father?"

"The fact that you could ask such a ridiculous question while there is a drug that apparently turns people into rabid beasts is spreading uncontrollably through that sorry excuse for a kingdom is what's wrong! On top of that video from those damned Faunus has been causing all sorts of trouble for me as more and more of them are getting the idea that somehow the government owes them anything at all!" he ranted as his daughter nodded along wondering when he would get to the point. "But do not think for a second that I've forgotten about you!"

"Me, father?" She asked while bracing herself for what she knew was coming.

"Did you honestly think that your vigilante activity or your choice of companions wouldn't come to my attention, did you even bother running background checks on them? Were you even aware that the Faunus," maybe it was due to Blake's influence but Weiss could swear she heard nothing but contempt in his voice as he spoke that word, "On your team seems to have no records beyond a birth certificate from Mistral?"

Weiss wasn't at all surprised to hear that after all Blake was from Menagerie which meant the records did exist but they were not being acknowledged by the other kingdoms which were a rather depressing state of affairs. Did her parents have to go to Mistral just so that their daughter's existence could be acknowledged?! What would have happened if they weren't able to do it, would she even be able to come to Beacon or even travel? It was a hard thing to wrap her head around, Just how many people are stuck in Menagerie?

"Weiss! Are you listening?" he asked, forcing her attention back onto his stern grimace.

She ignored the look he was giving her and with a plastic smile told him what he wanted to hear, "Of course father and I can assure you that Blake despite her mysterious origins is most certainly one of the good ones," The words left a foul bitter taste on her lips as she said them, intellectually she knew it was necessary by still saying that made her feel sick and no amount of justification would ever change that, I claimed I was nothing like my father and yet I… there is no point in focusing on who I was back in Atlas. It's far more important I concentrate on who I'll become here in Beacon.

Her answer seemed to please Jacques who decided to drop the subject for now, "Alright then, let's talk about those documents you requested," Weiss reshifted all her attention on the ahead conversation with renewed vigor, soon she and her father would begin negotiations and she was going to take everything she learned from him and come out on top.

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch loved her job, this was a fact beyond debate. Sure it wasn't easy raising a new generation of Huntsmen and it wasn't always rewarding, the harsh truth was that not every student of her's would live to see graduation and even the ones that did may not have long careers. She was well acquainted with tragedy and trauma having both experienced it herself and having seen many others go through it. Being able to help those children work through the pain and come to a decision that they can live with was something she took great pride and pleasure in but she's just a person and people make mistakes. Sitting by herself in a teacher's lounge she looked back to the training session she had with team PRAN and wondered to herself if she made a mistake.

A cup of tea was set before Glynda who looked up and saw Professor Peach sitting down next to her with a cup of her own, "Having a rough day?" Peach asked while sipping her own tea.

"It's just one of those days when I ask myself if I'm being too harsh on the students," she confessed to her colleague before trying some of the tea she had been given, it was creamy, sweet and just a little spicy and more importantly was hitting all the right spots, "Oh! I needed this, thank you."

"It's no problem, later I'm supposed to meet someone here so I made extra. But enough about me, what's gotten, you so upset Glynda?"

"It's nothing major but… I was preparing team PRAN for a special mission and… Oh, I don't know," she answered, never noticing how Peach tensed up for just one moment.

When she had asked Glynda what was wrong she had done so with the intent of venting a little with a colleague and nothing more, but PRAN changed everything. That's the team with the Grimm! Dammit! I'll have to drug her drink next time but for now let's see what I can learn, "Did that mission have anything to do with what's been happening lately?"

"Yes, I was supposed to prepare them for a mission and I had the idea of running a simulation with the help of two of the visiting students since they trained for police work and… I'm just worried, that's all." For one second it looked like she was going to say something extra but she caught herself before she could add to it, "I better be going now, thank you for the tea," Glynda got up and tried to leave.

I have to stop her! Peach thought to herself, "Glynda surely you can at the very least stay long enough to finish your cup, besides a little venting will be good for you!" to her pleaser, she saw Glynda mull it over for a bit.

"I'm sorry Peach but I have so much work to do, it really can't wait any longer," Glynda apologized and then left the room before Thumbelina to say or do anything in response.

Picking up the left behind cup she Peach walked over to the sink and began washing it, "Lazy bitch, you could at least clean up after yourself you pig", Next time I'll be ready. After putting the cup away in its proper place and seeing nothing left to do but wait she walked back to the table and continued to drink her tea while checking the news with her scroll, eventually she overheard the door open and saw Professor Oobleck enter the room and make his way over her.

"Hello Professor Peach, Watts sends his regards," Oobleck spoke before sitting down across from her.

Peach nearly choked on her drink, "Bart!? You're involved in this too? And what are you doing talking about Arthur here where someone could overhear you?" She nearly shouted.

"Relax, we are the only ones here, the security camera has been taken care of, somebody is monitoring the hallway and redirecting anyone who might pass by. Oh, and I'm not Oobleck, we have access to a semblance that can alter appearances," the stranger corrected her.

Peach composed herself, "Then I apologize for my earlier outburst, would you like some tea while we talk?" So is it their semblance or does it belong to someone else? Either way, this person is probably someone hiding in plain sight here at the school, that's worrisome but it's not that it matters as my semblance makes assassination impossible.

The stranger thought about it over for a second, "Thank you, I'd appreciate it," within a minute a cup was set and the stranger was carefully and slowly sipping the warm liquid and enjoying every drop, "This might just be my new favorite drink!"

"You talk as though you've never gotten the chance to enjoy such a thing," Peach observed as the stranger flinched for just a moment, "Sorry about that but when you've worked in this field for as long as I have you tend to notice these things," Peach apologized with a smile. New favorite drink? But you can buy this in just about any coffee shop and they aren't opposed to trying new things… is it a lack of time or money?

The stranger regained their bearings and turned to the Professor, "There reason I'm here in person is as a show of goodwill and it would be wise of you not to take that for granted!"

"Sorry about that, I truly do appreciate you taking time off of your schedule to see me," Peach spoke, trying her best to sound sincere. Such an emotional response! There can be no doubt about it, this person is actually a kid and most likely someone from one of the other academies. Dammit, Ozpin! Not only did you let a Grimm into the school and hid something like Salem but you are completely incompetent! Removing you would be doing Vale a favor! And with that thought, any hesitation was dismissed from the mind of the Professor as she mentally dedicated herself to the cause no matter the price.

"I'll get to the point, what do I need to know about the files?" Asked the stranger.

"Looking through Dr. Gris' computer is a waste of time, he keeps his most sensitive files in physical form locked inside of a cabinet, I assume that you already have my contact info so send me a message I'll send you all the necessary information. Furthermore, a student from Atlas named Penny Polidena is a robot."

The stranger nearly choked on their tea, "I'm sorry but, what?"

"I only wish I'm lying but it gets better, the girl did a full body examination of that Grimm and is now carrying the data inside of her so now that gives you two places you can go to get the files."

The stranger considered their options for a moment, Cinder wanted me to handle this on my own but the existence of this Penny is something she'd find interesting, "Thank you, just leave it to us and I guarantee that we will take care of both Jaune and Ozpin." The stranger finished their drink and got up to leave but Peach called out to them.

"I won't tell you how to do your job but if it helps, Jaune and his team have signed on for a special mission, I don't know the details but I'm sure you can find out easily. Also, I'll send you the contact info of a person named Iris Marilla, she's a would-be-huntress turned courier and more importantly, she's hopelessly addicted to Rage." Peach gave a small chuckle almost as though she had remembered something funny. "Her brain is so rotten that if you give her a good enough offer and she'll agree to just about anything."

That last part caught the stranger's attention, Someone is willingly taking that stuff!? If that's true then I want nothing to do with her but, It would be useful to have someone to risk their neck for us and take the fall… Cinder will know how to handle her, she always knows what best. "The information is appreciated, we'll see what we can do."

"That's all I ask," Peach said as she watched the stranger walk out through the door leaving her alone to continue enjoying her tea without a care in the world or a shred of guilt.

* * *

It was late into the evening when Sun and Neptune made their way through the Beacon's Dormitories until they were right in front of the door of Team PRAN's room and knocked and waited, however, nobody answered. "Dude, you did call ahead of time to ask if they would be here right?" Sun nervously looked over and asked his partner.

"Of course I did!" Neptune pulled out his scroll and checked the time, "Yeah, Pyrrha told me that she and the others would be expecting us right around this time, I'll give her a call just to see if everything's alright and next time I'll double-check before heading out."

"I'm not blaming you for anything man, if they're not here then we'll catch up with them tomorrow that's all! Besides, it is not like we have anything better to do for the rest of the day," said Sun as he wondered what to do next.

"Well Sage did ask us to find some Vinyl for him and Scarlet asked to try and track down a copy of Captain Blood."

"We can do that after this whole mess with Rage is over and done but I guess you're right. We can hang with these guys-!"

The door to the room suddenly and slowly opened up revealing a rather sleepy-looking Nora dressed in a loose black shirt with word Boop printed on it and bright pink boxers, "Oh hey guys! Come on in!"

"Are you sure it's okay? We can come back later." She looks like she just crawled out of bed.

She yawned stepping aside and letting them in, "Nah, we were supposed to wake up about," she quickly checked her scroll, "30 minutes ago so it's fine! Now if you'll excuse me I have to step out" She waited until the pair was inside before she walked out into the hallway, "Ren's in the communal kitchens making some food so I'll be back before you know it!" She closed the door and walked away.

The inside of the dorm room was a bit of a mess with some clothes, pillows, books and some school supplies strewn about on the floor which made it look like the team was having a study session of some sort but what stood out was a blanket and a large pile of fabric on the floor next to one of the beds. Out of curiosity Sun and Neptune came closer to the pile and upon examination, they found that it was Jaune who, as far as they could tell, rolled out of his bed and onto the floor taking his blanket and pillow with him.

A door opened and out of the bathroom emerged Pyrrha show was dressed in surprisingly simple bronze-colored pajamas "Oh! Hello again! Don't worry about the mess we were doing a little studying earlier, please make yourselves comfortable and I hope you're hungry because Ren is making enough pancakes for everyone!" She then walked over to Jaune who was still on the floor and poked him, "It's your turn."

Jaune pulled himself off of the ground and made his way over to the bathroom while giving the two visitors the warmest, "Oh hey guys! Wassup?" his groggy mind could muster. Never once did he register the fact that his sky blue onesie with a cute bunny logo in the center was now on full display or maybe he just didn't care.

Before Jaune could enter the bathroom, Sun took a quick picture of the sleepy knight, I'll tease him later about this then ask him where he got it, that thing looks comfy as hell. He then turned to his fellow captain Pyrrha and asked the question that was weighing on his and Neptune's mind, "So what exactly is going on here?"

"Well after what happened with Glynda earlier we had a team meeting and decided to rest up now so we wouldn't be tired training later," Pyrrha answered.

"Wait so does that mean you guys are in?" Neptune asked.

"Of course we're in!" she answered while walking inside the dorm's closet and closing the door much to the confusion of her guests, "Don't mind me, I'm just changing out of my pajamas and into some real clothes, by all means, please continue, I can hear you just fine," she assured them.

Neptune glanced over to Sun and gave a quick shrug before turning to the closed closet door, "That's great! It's better than great, it's perfect because Sun and I have a copy of the blueprints for the building that we'll be raiding and a map of the surrounding area. We were planning on studying this after visiting you guys but why not check it out now?"

"Oh, that is a grand idea!" She emerged from the closet dressed in plain baggy and rather unflattering clothes which drew some surprised looks from the pair, "Yeah, I know this isn't what you'd expect the Invincible Girl to wear, but it is so comfortable!" For a moment there was a sad look on her face but it was soon replaced with a genuine smile as though she had recalled something painful and then remembered that was now firmly in the past. "People back home meant well but they would sometimes forget that I'm nothing special, clothes like this would go a long way to reminding them that I'm just a girl."

"Actually we were surprised because Sun and I have similar outfits that we use when we want to scout out a location," Neptune replied with a laugh.

The door opened up and Nora walked in carrying plastic plates and utensils and then held the door open for her partner Ren who walked in while carrying a large plate filled with pancakes in one hand and a jar of syrup in the other "Food's done," he announced while Sun and Neptune took notice of the man's choice of sleepwear which was a green yukata that looked rather out of place compared to the clothing of his rest of the team but who were they to judge?

But soon any thoughts about Ren's choice of sleepwear were chased out of their mind by the rich smell of the pancakes filling the air and awakening the appetites of the still sleepy Jaune was lured out of the bathroom by the demands of his stomach. "Well seen everyone is here, let's clear some space to eat!" Pyrrha suggested which all of her team agreed.

"We'll help too and don't even try and talk us out of it!" Sun smiled while pointing at Pyrrha who had opened her mouth to object. "We want to help and on top of that I'm going to make all of you a nice cup of proper Vacuo style coffee!"

"Oh! I never had that before, how's it different from Valen style?" Jaune asked as he and Neptune started moving a desk so Ren could reach under it and clean.

"Vacuo style refers mostly to the cream which isn't as sweet as what guys have here in Vale but is instead a little spicy, the milk is also different!" Sun explained.

"Spicy coffee? I've never tried anything like before, alright then it's a deal!" agreed Pyrrha!

Within minutes they are all sitting together in the middle of the room eating the pancakes and enjoying small talk as a pot of coffee was brewing. In between the bites, Neptune finally asked the question that had been weighing on his and Sun's mind ever since they first arrived "So, if you guys don't mind me asking. What happened? Back at the training grounds, you guys were close to just calling it quits and now you're all fine."

"Oh, we just talked it over and came to the realization not taking the mission was a decision we'd all end up regretting for a long time and beside w got you two supercops to help us train so what's the big deal?" Nora answered.

Jaune then spoke up, "The Docks was a real eye-opener for all of us especially and I'll admit that there have been a lot of things I've had to come to terms with. Honestly, I'm so blessed to have this team, to be studying in Beacon where people like Dr. Gris and Riviera work and the friends I've made here… just thank you. Honestly, if it wasn't for all the support I've received from you guys I don't think I would have ever made it this far!" And yet despite your words, you continue to lie to all of them. He winced at the invasive thought but acknowledged that it had a point. They are going to find out sooner or later and with Rage does have anything to do with what happened to me then it's going to be sooner, much sooner. I'd honestly be surprised if they haven't at least started to suspect something.

"Jaune? Are you alright?" Ren asked.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You spaced out for a second there, Jaune," Pyrrha answered.

"Yeah, I'm just still a little sleepy," He lied.

Sun then got up and walked over to the coffee pot, "Well then you're getting the first cup and once you're fully awake we'll talk about the raid, does that sound good to you?"

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Jaune replied, Maybe after all this calms down a bit I can tell my team. Or you'll just come up with another reason to delay it and why? They already have seen your broken twisted body pulling itself back together, they already saw your "Berserker," state and they even accepted you after you learned you could kill without blinking. You're just being a coward.

* * *

Ruby was sitting on her bed enjoying a comic book while Yang was teaching Blake the intrinsic ins and outs of her favorite video games when the door to their room opened up causing everyone to stop what they were doing to watch as Weiss walked in. They greeted her and she naturally answered back but before going to her bed and letting herself fall on it face first.

"So I take it you had a rough time?" Yang asked.

"I ended up having to deal with my father," Weiss answered.

"That couldn't have been fun," Blake said while frowning at the prospect of having to deal with Jacques Schnee for any amount of time. "But were you able to get the documents?"

"At least let her catch her breath first," Ruby said in response.

"It's alright Ruby, the documents are after all the very reason why I even went in the first place. As for the documents, it took a lot of negotiating." Weiss answered.

"Negotiating?" asked Yang.

"Yeah, I had to agree to do some things like befriending Coco and Pyrrha which I'm already on great terms with both of them and spending less time with the rest of Pyrrha's team which I'm not going to do." He also wants me to confront Blake about her lack of documentation but I'm just going to tell him it's because she is from Menagerie.

"Wait, so he wants you to spend time with Pyrrha which even I get, but expects you to do it without involving her team? How does he think that's going to work?" Ruby asked.

"He expects me to figure it out but, I'm not going to do it. One main reason I defied my father to get to Beacon was to find real friends that want to be with me because who I am as a person, instead of a potential business opportunity for their parent's benefits," Weiss answered bitterly.

Ruby sat down right next to Wiess and placed a warm hand on her shoulder that was soon joined by the others, "I'm proud to be your friend Weiss, we all are."

"Even though you were kind of a shitty person at first," Yang gently poked fun at Weiss.

"Well then being the shitty person I am I suppose I'll just keep these highly sensitive documents to myself," Weiss replied with a laugh as she held her scroll up basking in the sweet afterglow of victory!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get started!" Ruby declared.

"Ruby I appreciate your enthusiasm but these documents are very technical so may you should allow me the resident dust expert to do this!" Weiss suggested.

"Ha, but you forget my dear Weiss! That I," Ruby leaped off of the bed and placed a hand on her chest, "I'm the resident weapons expert so leave to me and my sister to find all the dust that could be used for weapons!"

Yang joined her little sister, 'I'll search for explosives while you find ammunition!"

"In that case, I'll focus on the general-purpose Dust since we had to use that a lot back when the White Fang was still just camping out in the Forever Fall Forest," Blake added.

"Then I'll focus on vehicles and specialized dust," stated Wiess just before sending a copy of the files to each member of her team who got to work upon receiving them and then any enthusiasm that they had at the beginning began to wither and die in the face of the files.

They all knew that analyzing the documents was going to be a long process that would very likely be stretched out over the remaining week. The sheer tediousness of line after line each one just listing out names and cold hard numbers all written down without an ounce of passion or care just as you would expect documents that existed only to be used to double-check data and then be stored away somewhere out of sight until the next time someone might have a use for it, necessitated occasional breaks just to maintain their sanity. However, despite the monotonous nature of the task, they were able to power through the sheer boredom of it all and take notes whenever something stood out even in the smallest way and then cross-referencing all their findings with each other.

Adam wanted an army, this was something they already knew thanks to Blake and because of her they also knew that the Fang had been stealing dust and equipment well before their sudden and inexplicable alliance with Torchwick. They knew and even witnessed with their own eyes the results of that team up at the Docks where the robberies took place on a level that Adam had previously only ever dreamed of. However, none of those supplies meant anything without the personnel to use it.

Then that Rage drug began circulating the streets leading to Adam releasing that video whose natural result was explosive support for the White Fang which translated into a rapidly growing membership. However, despite Adam now having the supplies and personnel, RWBY wasn't immediately concerned, after all, most of the recruits were just innocents wanting to help make a better world, they could be hardly called terrorists even in the broadest definition of the term. They were just civilians, not soldiers and that was something that Adam wanted to change, he wanted an army and what he had now would most certainly abandon the Fang should it go too far.

To make the supplies count and to create a true army, Adam would have to engineer a situation where those civilian volunteers would have no choice but to stand and fight or somehow convince them that his way is the correct path. But how? How would he do that? What did Torchwick have to do with that? Did Rage play a role? Where did it even come from? Something happened to the White Fang after Blake left but what?

* * *

"Progress report."

"Sir! We are nearly done clearing the tracks and we have finished the repairs on the train. The passenger cars should be prepared on schedule, however, without the supplies, they're nothing but empty cars. Also, there have been some reports of Grimm coming dangerously close to some of the entrances with the subway station being of particular note. Also..." the recruit went suddenly silent.

"Well?" The White Fang Lieutenant known as Banesaw asked, taking a step forward, his already large and intimidating frame highlighted by the dim light of the tunnels and frightening the recruit. "Go on, it's alright. Ask your question and I'll answer to the best of my ability," he replied with a gentleness that almost seemed impossible thanks to his imposing figure.

With renewed confidence, the recruit continued, "Some people have been wondering about our new allies and on top that Major Taurus' absence is causing some to wonder if something happened to him and if those humans are involved with it."

Internally the Lieutenant groaned before reciting the lines that Adam had given to say whenever someone finally grew the courage to ask where he was, "Earlier you mentioned that we lacked the supplies to fill the passenger carts, well that's an issue the Major is correcting. As for our human allies, don't worry about them. Adam has a plan and everything is helping to bring it closer to fruition."

"Understood, Sir!" the recruit said, easily accepting the answer.

"Excellent, you are dismissed." he watched for a bit as the underling ran off to rejoin his companions, It will all be worth it when the time comes to make them pay.

* * *

Author's Notes: I know that I said the last chapter that we'd have some fun with Sun and Neptune beginning their Junior Detectives but, ultimately I couldn't find the space to fit it in. Either way, the next chapter should be a fun one for everything who enjoys a bit of gore.

Also, I'm going to start the rewrite right now but I won't start replacing chapters until the next one is done. Just a reminder that the Rewrite is mostly to improve the early chapters, you will NOT be required to read the new chapters to understand what is going on.


	21. Chapter 21

Iris was in general anything but a coward, that's not to say she was reckless though it would be understandable to come to that conclusion if one were to see her in the distance leaping from building to building as she made her deliveries. However, a closer inspection would reveal that she took the risks of her job very seriously and was equipped to deal with any complications that might arise that could prove difficult for the Would-Be-Huntress with a semblance that allowed her to glide through the air. She was brave but cautious and took great pride in that, so when she returned home after a day of honest work and found the door to her apartment unlocked her sensible reaction was to drop everything she was carrying and promptly arm herself with her bow as she carefully and slowly opened the door to peek in... and see nothing.

Nothing was out of place, nothing was missing, nothing had been added and there was no sign of any intruders. At this point, any other person might have concluded they had accidentally left their door unlocked, however that was a problem that forgetful and careless people and neither applied to her. So after scanning the interior one last time she quietly entered her own home and made her way through, making sure to never leave her back exposed. It was a slow tedious process but it was one she was dedicated to seeing through, then her perseverance paid off when she saw that something was out of place in her home and it made her heart drop. The door to her special room was wide open.

"Shit!" abandoning all her earlier caution she bolted inside the room and began examining every inch from the floor to the ceiling and found to her relief that nothing seemed to have been altered, "Oh thank god! It's all still in one piece, but the open door still means that someone was in my apartment, I bet it was that bitch Thumbelina!" Making her way out of the modified closet she walked across her living room and over to her safe, opened it up, and began counting everything inside. It took a few minutes and a couple of recounts but she joyfully closed the safe find that everything was still there. Maybe I did just forget to lock the door but what about the closet? I only open it when I'm going inside and I was saving that for tonight.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and an unknown voice was heard, "Hello, is there anyone here? Your door is wide open and you left your stuff outside, are you there?"

"Yes! I'm here! Don't worry about anything and I'll be there in a moment!" She called back and placed her bow on the ground so as not to accidentally scare who she assumed was a neighbor.

"Oh don't mind me! I'll just put your things inside for you!"

"Don't come inside!" Iris shouted as she ran to the door only to stop in shock when she saw who it was, Why? Why is Roman Torchwick standing at my door? My bow! I left it back in the closet, Shit!

Roman was just standing there looking smug and out of place has held her things up in one hand while twirling his cane in the other, "Well I have to come inside if I want to properly return this to you like a good law-abiding citizen would do unless of course, you want to come over to me." He waited for her to answer before shrugging and stepping inside her apartment without her permission and placing her stuff on the floor of her apartment. "Alright I suppose my little joke has gone too far so, can we get down to business?"

"Your little joke…you! You broke into my home! You… you saw it!" she spoke that last part in a barely audible whisper but the gentleman thief didn't need to hear her to know what she said.

"Your drug stash and that special closet? Yes, I did and can I say that I am morbidly impressed! I didn't think that it was possible for someone to get hooked on that stuff to the point where they actually figured out a way around the main effects." He took a step towards her and she instinctively took a step back not out of fear but rather to prepare herself for whatever happened next which made the master thief chuckle. "Relax I'm not here to threaten you, I have no reason to. Rather I'm here to give you a job offer!"

"I'm not a thief!"

"But you are an addict and that's what's important right now because your suppliers are going to be history before the end of the week." He paused for a moment to gauge her reaction in order to better decide which direction to take the conversation and noticed that she had a slight tremble despite her attempts to remain in control, Desperation, even the thought of going without Rage is frightening for her. For a moment he felt the pang of the tarred remains of his guilty conscience and considered just apologizing for the inconvenience and walking away to never show his face to her again but that act of kindness came at a cost he wasn't willing to pay. Though even knowing that didn't make him feel any less bad about it.

Torchwick for one moment looked away and that was all Iris needed to push as much aura as possible into her legs and dash towards the closet where she foolishly had left her weapon behind, only for something in the closet to hit her right in the face with enough force to send her sprawling on the ground clenching her head in surprise more than pain. What the fuck was that!? She could hear the sound of heels walking out of the room and towards her but without a weapon at hand, there was really nothing she could do except try and put some distance between her and whoever it was that hit her.

"Thanks for the save Neo," his partner looked right at him and walked towards him, "I was just overthinking a little I'll be fine," she pointed at Iris who was getting up. "Don't worry about her, I think she'll behave from here on. Now please keep an eye out for trouble and we'll rob an ice cream place afterward, okay?" He couldn't help but smile as he watched her happily skip out of the room as her Semblance activated, making her look like a completely different person. After she left he then turned back to the business at hand, "Look kid here's the deal. The police know where the Rage is being stored and they are going to raid it, however, they are not going to find any." This immediately caught her attention and gave her some hope, "What they will find isn't important, what is important is what will be done with the stuff."

She understood what he was getting at, "You're offering me some."

"A lifetime supply," Realizing that she would not reject the offer he reached into his coat, pulled out a picture and handed it to her, "This is your target, tomorrow you'll get a package and inside you'll find a device that you are to use on her as well as all the information you'll need. There is no time limit but I strongly recommend that you get this done as soon as possible as that's when you'll receive payment." He turned around and began walking out of the room.

"And what if I refuse? What's stopping me from just reporting this to the police?"

"Well that's an empty threat but sure, I can play along," he answered while turning around and taking a step towards the door. "The police don't have a clue about us and even if they did they have their hands full with more obvious threats but as for your retaliation. We'll do nothing to you because we don't have to, the withdrawal will do the work for us."

"Withdrawal!?" It wasn't a question but rather a realization of the situation that she was in.

"Everything comes with a price tag and your hobby is no different... I'm going to be frank with you kid. You did this to yourself, I don't know why you did it and I really don't care. But the fact is without Rage you will die and it will not be something peaceful… I'm sorry kid." Roman walked out of the apartment leaving Iris completely alone.

* * *

Dr. Riviera handed Jaune a beer mug filled with hot tea and sat down, "So Glynda has been telling me that you've improved significantly since your first exercise session, congratulations!"

"Thanks, it hasn't been easy even with all the extra help we've been receiving but we're pulling through. Though I can't help but feel nervous and it's not about whether we can physically pull it off, it's… what if I'm wrong and this drug has nothing to do with what happened to me?"

"Then I suppose you'll just have to somehow find a way to survive with the satisfaction of only playing an important role in the removal of perhaps the most dangerous drug to ever hit the streets of Vale," the Doctor answered with a smile inciting a bout of laughter from both men.

"Well if you put it that way I suppose it doesn't sound too bad," Jaune chuckled for a bit, "But you are right, I am overthinking it," he took a drink of the tea, "It's funny before all this happened to me overthinking wasn't something that anyone could accuse me of."

"Circumstances change people, besides it's far better to overthink a problem rather than ignore it completely. So please, I don't care how small it is or how insignificant it is as long as it's something you want to get off of your chest."

Jaune closed his eyes for a moment, It was just a nightmare but… "There is one thing that might be nothing or it could be everything." He knew that Rivera could be trusted to listen to everything he wanted to say but for whatever reason, the good Doctor seemed especially interested in what he had to say, which was rather encouraging for the young man. "Recently I had another nightmare and it started the same as it usually does."

"The Docks?" Rivera asked to make sure they were both on the same page.

"Yes exactly, then it transitioned to my house and sisters but after that, it transitioned again into a bar," Jaune explained.

"A bar? That is new, what happened?"

"There was this guy, I couldn't make out his face but he offered me a drink and I…," Here, a toast to the young hero…No! Please No! Keep that away from me… Mom! Dad! Saph! Please someone anyone please help me! Save me! Please! It was just a dream but he had felt so helpless, for a moment Jaune's hands began to unconsciously tremble.

"It's alright Jaune, there is nothing wrong with what you are feeling. It's actually a good thing because we cannot conquer the fears which we refuse to acknowledge." Rivera assured him, Now if only that bitch had learned that lesson...

"Thank you," composing himself Jaune looked the psychologist dead in the eye and told him, "I think I had a memory of what happened to me... a memory of how I ended up this way."

Riviera leaned in completely enraptured by what he was hearing but at the same time deeply concerned, Ozpin will want to know about this in fact he's probably recording all of this right now but that's not the real problem. The actual issue is a case of false hope if this lead turns out to be nothing it... No, he can handle it. He has the support he needs and people who will push him in the right direction.

Taking comfort in Rivera's obvious interest Jaune pushed himself forward, "In this memory or dream whatever it turns out to be, I was in a bar when this guy appeared and offered me a drink that was just wrong… and when I refused he forced the drink down my throat and a part of me just knew… that there something in that drink and that it was responsible for everything!"

There was a lot that Rivera wanted to tell him, for example, Qrow's investigation into what happened to the boy had revealed that there was indeed a man at the bar who according to witnesses had approached Jaune offering to buy him a drink under the pretense of celebrating his acceptance into Beacon. Even more interesting was according to those very same witnesses the man had left just before Jaune's problems began, but, There is nothing apart from an odd bit of timing to suggest that the guy had anything to do with this! Even if that man was responsible, we still have no idea who he actually was! I need to approach this carefully, first I need to find out what He wants to do with this revelation if that is what this is.

"I have this idea that I wanted to run by you before I try anything, " Jaune fidgeted for a moment feeling just a tinge of doubt over his idea but knew that he'd regret not bringing it up when he had the chance, "After the raid, I want to go to a bar and see if I can trigger anything."

"Alright."

"What?" Jaune was confused, That wasn't the answer I'd thought I'd get!

The Doctor was more than happy to explain himself to the poor boy, "If this is something that you feel that you need to do in order to gain some closure then, I support it. All I ask is that you'll allow me to accompany you along with anyone else you want to be there!"

*BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZ*

The moment was shattered by the emergency alarm on Jaune' scroll going off, without hesitation, he grabbed the device and checked to see what was so important that they needed the alarm to reach him and nearly dropped the scroll when he saw what it was, "The raid is happening now!" he put down the mug and began making his way to the door.

Rivera was so shocked that he thought he must have misheard, "What!? How can that be?" he asked while watching Jaune leave and making no attempt to stop him.

"I'm sorry but I don't know!" Jaune slammed the door shut in his rush to exit leaving Riviera with nothing to do but pray for their success and safety.

* * *

Speed is king, that was a lesson that every Huntsmen worth the skin on their back knew by heart but it was so much more than physical speed, though that too was important. Situations could change in a moment and Huntsmen had to be ready to respond whenever and however it happened and they had to be flexible in their approach even if it meant doing something uncomfortable. Jaune put that lesson into practice by heading straight for the launch pads rather than the locker rooms instead he used his scroll to the send his locker on ahead to his final destination, sure it would mean having to change in public with nothing but a flimsy curtain to provide privacy but it was a small price to pay in order to arrive at the said destination as quickly as possible.

The reward for this course action was that in mere minutes he was able to reach the landing pads where his team as well as Sun and Neptune already inside the Bullhead waiting for him, "Sorry for making you all wait!" Jaune said as he climbed aboard noticing that his team was like him still dressed in their school uniforms while Sun and Neptune were already in their combat gear. Do either of them actually have a uniform? "Well I guess that means I won't be the only changing right in the middle of the street," he said with a laugh that the rest of his friends reciprocated as the Bullhead took off.

"Oh, don't worry about it Jaune! In situations like this, the lockers are programmed to land close enough to each other so that the curtains can be used to create an impromptu dressing room," Pyrrha explained with a smile before a thought entered into her head, "That does, however, mean that we'll all have to share the room with each other, will you be okay with that?"

"Absolutely," Jaune and Nora answered at exactly the same time much to the amusement of each other and of everyone else that happened to be there.

Sun opened his mouth to add something when Neptune gently elbowed him and pointed at his scroll, "Thanks man, I nearly forgot!" Sun then turned his attention to team PRAN and said, "Hey guys I'm sorry to have to kill the mood like this but this something that you all need to see before we get there," he said as he offered his scroll to Jaune and Pyrrha while Neptune shared his with Nora and Ren.

It was a live news report coming from their destination, "This is Tony Chamomile reporting live from the site of one of the two major car crashes that have completely cut off a portion of 13th street resulting in the total isolation of the buildings caught between the two accidents." The cameraman then panned away from the reporter to gain a better view of the chaos around them as a small but growing crowd was being pushed away from the police and behind the officers, there was a truck stretching across the narrow street with a couple of smaller cars closing up the gaps in such a manner that Jaune and his team soon realized were far too complete to be just an accident and the cameraman soon proved their suspicions correct as just past the impromptu wall of vehicles were several now empty vans which had been parked right in the middle of the street and past those vans laid another makeshift wall of vehicles preventing any entry. The building in question appeared to be a narrow eight-story tall apartment building that was never really completed, the first five floors were fine but after that faults began to make themselves known eventually resulting in the topmost floor missing entire sections of the wall.

But it was the sight of the barricade that made Pyrrha's eyes widen in shock as the realization hit her with the force of a train, "They knew we were coming! They somehow know that the raid was scheduled for the end of the week but, how?! Unless…," She didn't say it but they were all thinking the same thing, There's a traitor. Either in the police or… in Beacon itself.

The reporter then continued, "So far there has been no report of injury but at the same time there is currently no news in regards to the condition of anyone that may be inside the isolated buildings." The cameraman then refocused on Tony, "According to witnesses a convoy of cars drove up to what we have been told is an abandoned apartment complex early in the morning and parked right on the street as several still unidentified individuals left their vehicles and entered the building. Shortly afterward the truck then crashed itself into the walls of a neighboring building which was then followed by some of the other cars which proceed to crash the truck and into each other creating the wall that we see here and cutting themselves and the apartment off from the rest of police have arrived on the scene and attempts to communicate with ones inside the building have been made but so far they have received no response."

Jaune tightened his fists with such force that his nails began cutting into his palms but he didn't feel any pain, he didn't even notice when he started bleeding all he felt right now was his growing frustration, This was my chance to finally learn what happened to me! Even if the drug turned out to have nothing to do with it at least it would be one less thing for me to wonder, but I guess even something like that was just too much to ask! Suddenly he felt all that anger fading away, he noticed Ren's hand on his shoulder and could feel his friend Aura washing over him and taking away all that rising fury, "Thanks Ren, I needed that."

"Anytime Jaune," Ren answered as they turned their attention back on to the news.

The reporter walked up to the police captain in charge of the scene who had been waiting for him, "With me right now is Captain Jacqueline Dews who has graciously agreed to explain the situation and dispel any rumors about what is actually going on," He then offered the older woman the microphone, "Captain?"

"Well, I'm not going to waste anyone's time by beating around the bush and giving you all some half-baked truths, because at this point, you'dn't believe me and I don't blame you. So here is what's really going down, we are moving forward with the assumptions that the witness reports are true and therefore we are treating this as a hostile takeover," she explained.

"So what does that exactly mean?" Tony asked for the sake of the audience.

"It means that we're bringing in a SWAT team to breach and enter the building which we will do so with the aid of some of Beacon's students who are on their way as we speak. Furthermore, my officers are doing their best to find all other possible entrances into the building while police negotiators will continue to attempt to make contact all the way until the last moment. Vale's Central Hospital has been informed and is sending paramedics over while preparing to receive patients," she stated bluntly to Tony's surprise.

"Thank you for sharing so much Captain I'm sure everyone back home appreciates your honesty!"

"It was my pleasure, besides if there is even a fraction of a chance that whoever is inside is watching this then it's wor-!," suddenly she was cut off by an alarm on her scroll going off and grabbing her attention. She quickly checked the scroll to see what was going on before silencing the alarm and turning back to the reporter, "I'm sorry Tony but I'm going to need you to make some space, the assistance from Beacon will be here soon."

"We will?" Pyrrha asked much to the confusion of Sun and Neptune.

"You live here, so shouldn't you know?" Neptune asked.

"Actually, I'm a student here, not a citizen. If anyone knows how close we are it would be Jaune," Pyrrha answered much to Jaune's surprise.

"Why would I know about Vale's capital, when I'm Mistralian?" He asked.

"What!?" Nora shouted, "How come you never told us you were from Mistral? I'm Mistralian too and so is Ren but you already knew that, wait... Wait for a second!" Her eyes narrowed as she started to scratch her chin in deep thought, "How is it that Team PRAN is made up of four foreign students all from the same kingdom when the process was supposed to be random? And on top of that, we are working together with two other students from the same kingdom!" With dramatic flair Detective Nora made her case, "There is something foul afoot!" She dramatically declared capturing the full attention of everyone around her!

"Actually, I'm from Vacuo," replied Sun.

"Well there goes that theory and I guess it's really isn't that weird now that I think about it," Nora admitted.

However Neptune wasn't ready to let it go just yet, "Wait, how is that not weird?"

Nora gave the guy a big smile before happily launching into an explanation, "Well Rem and I were always going to be partners, likewise Pyrrha had already decided she wanted Jaune as her partner, and let's be honest there was no way he was ever going to escape her!" Realizing how bad that sounded Pyrrha tried to interject in order to explain but Nora just kept going much to her embarrassment, "After that, we all just happened to pick the castle piece resulting in PRAN! So how does Haven make teams?"

"Well you go through initiation first and if you worked with anyone during the trial then you're partnered with them and after that, it's a lottery to fill in the gaps," Neptune explained, "I worked with Sun which made us partners and both Sage and Scarlet were from the lottery."

Sun opened his mouth to help explain, further stopped when he felt the Bullhead slowing down and then the doors opened up revealing the barricaded street below. Looking out he saw the police keeping people away from the lockers that were already there and awaiting their owners, "Alright, Neptune and I will go talk to the captain while you guys get ready! Deal?"

"Deal!" They answered together before jumping out a team.

* * *

The plan itself was rather simple: Jaune and Nora, who were the most durable, would be a part of Entry Team A which made up the bulk of the SWAT forces. Their job would be to breach and enter the building from the front which would hopefully draw the attention of all potential hostiles. That would allow Ren, Neptune, and Sun who were stationed on the roof with Entry Team B to enter the building from either the door or the windows, once inside they would sweep the upper floors for any stragglers, hostages or anything else of interest. Meanwhile, Pyrrha who was the best marksman out of all them would be hidden outside in a strategic location working together with the other riflemen teams who would be providing watchful eyes and, if absolutely necessary, supporting fire. The rest of the police force would form a perimeter around the building ready to catch any runner or intercept any reinforcements and Captain Dews would be observing the situation through the built-in cameras on everyone's equipment and issuing orders through the use of earbuds and radios that everyone had equipped. Lethal force was to be avoided if possible however as long as Rage was taken off the streets for good the Council was prepared to accept all responsibility for whatever may happen here.

Given the weight of everything, Jaune couldn't help but feel nervous as he stood in front of the building with Nora and an entire Entry Team right behind him but he wasn't scared and he knew that he wasn't alone in feeling this way, after spending so much time with Nora he learned how to tell when she was jittering around out of excitement and when she was doing it out of nervousness and this time it was a little bit of both. Even the men behind them seemed a bit apprehensive and who could blame them? You cannot conquer what you refuse to acknowledge, that was perhaps the best piece of advice that his father ever gave him, It's certainly much better than, all you need is confidence. Deploying his shield but leaving the sword in its sheath for now he took a few practice swings with a police baton that he had been generously lent, it would take some getting used to but thanks to Glynda's training he wasn't a complete novice and if things went wrong then… he looked at his sword, Let's hope that things don't go wrong. Marching up to the front door he stood to one side as Nora stood on the other with Magnhild in grenade launcher form. The only thing keeping them from going through the door was that they were awaiting the signal from Captain Dews who watched wearily as the Negotiator grew more and more frustrated with the lack of any response before finally giving up.

The signal received, Jaune took a deep breath and kicked the door wide open and moved out of the way as Nora fired a flashbang that soon went off signaling the true start of the raid. With his shield raised, he led the charge and entered the building's main lobby and found it to his great relief found it devoid of people but also noted the lack of furniture, Well that explains why they never answered back. In mere moments he was joined by the rest of the Entry Team who began spreading out and searching the floor for any sign of the drugs or for anybody at all, it was a thorough process that required entering every room and searching it from top to bottom peeking into every corner and investigating anything that could even be conceivably be used to hide anything at all. To be frank, it was a task that would require the rest of the day to complete to satisfaction, But if it is what it takes then I'm more than happy to do it, he thought to himself as he entered a room and began sweeping it.

The first step was to make sure that the dwelling was truly unoccupied which was a lesson that Glynda made sure that he and the rest of his team understood and knew how to do properly. Fortunately, a few other members of the Entry Team followed him through the door and if they ran into any trouble there were plenty of others that would come to their aid. But it would be even better if they didn't have too, thought Jaune to himself as he carefully looked inside a closet only to find nothing which was begging to worry him, The whole reason we are here is because of that wall of cars just outside and the men who forced their way inside this building so if we can't find them here than that means they are on the upper floors. He continued his search through the room this time moving to what he assumed would be a bathroom and entering it with his shield raised but just like the closet, it was empty. But why? Why go to the upper floors? They knew we were coming henceforth the cars to slow us down but then why go to where there is no way out… What's their goal? Suddenly his radio came to life and he heard Pyrrha and more importantly, he heard the concern in her voice.

"There's movement on the third floor," Pyrrha reported through the radio, "It's a man, he's alone and appears unarmed but he is acting weird, I think he's sick!"

"Copy that, continue to monitor him and keep me up to date," Captain Dews answered her before addressing everyone else inside the building, "Clear the floor you are on first before heading upstairs, remember that they can't leave the building without us knowing so focus on checking everything!"

"Yes, sir!"

Jaune was feeling rather conflicted over that news, on one hand, it meant that he was now one step closer to learning either something about his condition or crossing a potential lead off of the list which also helped him but, Ren, Sun and Neptune will probably be sent in soon and now we know that there are people up there which mean that a fight might be unavoidable… Leaving the bathroom he found that the officer that had entered with him had already checked every other room in this particular dwelling and were about to move on so with no reason to stay he joined them so they could continue the search elsewhere, This isn't a big apartment building so we must be nearly done on this floor which means that we'll be-!, He was snapped out of his thoughts by Nora's voice coming through his radio.

"Um, I think we might have a problem," she suddenly spoke, "I'm standing in front of a wall that according to the blueprints you gave us to study, shouldn't exist. I'm sending you a picture of it now"

Captain Dews quickly answered, "Copy that, I've received the photo and we have your location we're going to double-check this against our own copy of the blueprints so, for now, standby and await further instructions, Jaune I want you there with her and be ready for combat. The rest of Entry team A can ascend to the second floor as soon as the first is secure. Entry team B, I want you to enter the building now and do a sweep through, prioritize caution. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

The sound of several boots hitting the floor echoed through the hall as Entry Team B landed safely on the topmost floor and began to sweep it, which was a process that was wouldn't take any longer than a minute or two since the construction on this floor was never finished leaving very few places for someone to hide or hide something. Soon enough they were done and were making their way down to the seventh floor with Sun leading the charge, "I don't like this," the leader of team SSSN spoke to his friends Neptune and Ren as they went through the door to the seventh floor and began the process again, "We're going to end up trapping these guys between ourselves and the Entry Team below when that happens there's going to be a fight and that's not something I'm looking forward to," Sun explained.

"Do you doubt we can handle it?" Ren asked as he made the way through the barren floor finding it almost as empty as the one above, "Or do you think we've been tricked somehow?" he added remembering the wall that Nora had found.

"Definitely the latter, everything about this is just too weird," Sun answered.

Pyrrha's voice came through the radio again, "The man earlier is heading to the stairs, he's going down to the second floor and… there's someone else and… they're fighting each other!"

Captain Dews quickly answered, "Entry Team A, send some people up there now! Nora, I need you to wait a little longer."

"Right away, Sir!"

The line went silent and without anything needing to be said the three of them along with the rest of the Entry Team made their way to the sixth floor where once again they found nothing and no one out in the open waiting for them but, unfortunately, they couldn't move on just yet. When the apartment had been built the construction workers had been able to build a few rooms on this floor which had to be searched before they could move on, "There's no doors or furniture up here so the chances of anything hidden here is small," Neptune observed as he ran into one of the rooms and just like he had hoped found it devoid of anything at all, "Clear!" he shouted before running into another room to repeat the process but then the radio came to life again.

"This is Franklin from Entry Team A, we've found the two men from earlier, they're dead. I don't know what happened but it seems that they killed each other. Wait second, I just heard something… there are people locked inside the rooms here!"

"Damn it," Captain Dews answered grimly, "Let the people in those rooms know that help is coming but wait for the rest of your team before trying to-!" Suddenly Pyrrha's voice along with several of the other riflemen joined together in a confusing chorus that interrupted the Captain who along with everyone else was trying to interpret what they were saying, "Enough!" The Captain finally shouted, silencing everyone, "Browns, what is happening?"

"Sir, on the third and fourth floor…"

Before the man to could finish Sun, Neptune and Ren were already speeding down the stairs skipping past the fifth floor and going right into the fourth floor and when they got there they were struck with the sight rattling doors, their ears were assaulted with the sound of pounding limbs and angry screams and then one of the doors suddenly broke wide open and a man came stumbling out of the room his fists clenched in fury and his knuckles raw and bleeding. The sight of that blood made the trio realize to their horror that the man before them did not have his Aura unlocked which meant that he was almost certainly a civilian and when he turned to face them their hearts sank further, "Rage," Ren spoke in a soft whisper, "That man is high on Rage which must mean the other two men that Pyrrha saw earlier, the ones who killed each other… shit."

With a feral cry, the drugged man threw himself at the huntsmen not caring how much damage he did to his own body as long as he had something he could take his fury out on but he never reached them as Neptune raised his rifle and shot the man bringing him down. "He's not dead," Neptune explained, "Tri-Hard uses lighting Dust and I can lower the settings to turn this thing into a taser but…," Another door broke open and before the occupant could fully emerge a bolt of electricity shot through his body and rendered him unconscious just like the first man. "Aura or no Aura these guys are not going to stay down forever," Several doors broke as a handful of men and women both human and Faunus started forcing themselves out and some of them were even armed with makeshift clubs made of what looked to be broken furniture and whatever else might have been in those rooms.

While both Sun and Neptune braced themselves for a fight Ren used his radio to contact the Captain, "There are civilians trapped in these rooms and they have all been drugged with Rage, we need to-!" Sun pushed him out of the way of a brick that had been thrown by one of the many people suffering in that hallway and they watched in horror as the sound of the brick hitting the wall behind drew the attention of every single one of those people.

"Those guys are armed!" one of the drugged men cried pointing at Neptune.

"Are you trying to fuck with me?" screamed another as the entire mob turned their entire focus onto the three in front of them and began surging forward.

Ren holstered Storm Flowers as Neptune switched Tri-Hard into Trident mode and Sun engaged the safeties on his own weapon Ruyi and Jingu Bang but kept it in staff mode, they were prepared to defend themselves but would be damned if in the process they killed or crippled any of these victims but behind them, they could hear the footsteps of the approaching Entry Team and below themselves, they could hear the of some commotion on the third floor and they shuddered. As well trained and experienced the SWAT were, they were not Huntsman and that meant they would have to try to fight harder and go further to keep themselves safe. No matter what they did here, people were going to die.

* * *

The sound of violence occurring just upstairs could not overpower the thunderous sound of Magnhild hitting the fake wall with the force of a lightning bolt tearing it down with a loud crash and kicking up a cloud of dust and debris so thick that Nora had to use her arms to cover her face while Jaune simply used his shield to cover his, the pair then waited for the cloud to settle down before peeking through the destroyed remains of the wall finding what appeared to be a small room no bigger than a walk-in closet. For a moment they felt an incredible wave of relief wash over them, then they looked down and their blood turned to ice when they saw a trapdoor leading to god knows where. Jaune hesitated for a moment and glanced at the ceiling, I should be up there fighting but anything could happen down there, and if anyone has to get hurt I'd rather it be me. He took a step forward but stopped when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Nora looking right at him.

"Go on up Jaune, I can handle this." She said with a smile as she tried to take a step forward but then felt his hand on her own shoulder holding her back.

"I appreciate the offer, I really do but your weapon isn't really suited for fighting in a tunnel but mine is. I should be the one doing this while you help Ren out," Just saying that made him feel like scum and that feeling only grew when he saw the way Nora narrowed her eyes as he brought up her partner and best friend. I know it's a low blow but this way if something goes wrong only I'll get hurt.

"Jaune… I know that I act like a hyperactive squirrel but I'm not an idiot, I know what you're doing and I hate it." he didn't know what to say and Nora wasn't going to give him a chance, "You want me to go up there because you know that no one up there can hurt me but maybe something down there can, that's why you brought up Ren, that's why you're trying to go down there so you can take the risk yourself! Well, I'm not going to let you do it alone!" Nora angrily declared.

"Then how about I go downstairs?" Both Jaune and Nora turned around to see who was it that spoke and found their team leader Pyrrha standing there and looking at them both, "Captain Dews was upset that you didn't wait for her permission to smash the wall but, she changed her mind when she saw the trapdoor and sent me," She said as she pointed at the camera that they were all wearing as part of the raid.

He, however, wasn't ready to give this up "Pyrrha you don't have to, I can-!"

She cut him off, "As your friend, I'm asking you to trust me and to stop pushing yourself so hard, just because you can regenerate doesn't mean that I or any of us are okay with having to watch you constantly having to literally pull yourself together every time something goes wrong." She watched as a pained guilty look came across her partner's face however she didn't relent but she didn't want him to feel bad either so with a Champion smile she added "Besides, neither you or Nora actually want to go down there so let me do it!" her smile faded and turned into a frown, "Besides things aren't going well up there, they're holding them back for now but Rage… does things to people, now go!"

He stared at Pyrrha for a moment before turning to the door and walking out with Nora but before he was gone he had one more thing to add, "When this is over I have something I want, no, I need to tell all of you. So until then you better stay safe." Ozpin isn't going to like this but he doesn't have to know, with that thought he and Nora headed upstairs towards the fight as she watched them both leave.

Once they were gone Pyrrha offered a silent wordless prayer for their safety and when it was done she found herself surprised that she did it at all, religion was never a passion of hers and while she believed in Fate, the subject of deities was another matter. But still, that unspoken prayer did help alleviate her worries just a little and that was enough for her. Turning her attention to the task before her, she walked up to the trap door and began to search it for means to open but found nothing. There must be a mechanism somewhere or I can just use my semblance, There was no contest and in mere seconds the door was forced wide open.

Then the smell hit her, it was oddly sweet in a rather sickening way but there were other smells mixed in as well that she couldn't identify, she reached for the radio and called it in," Captain I've opened the door and there's a passageway with an odd smell so I'm going to request a mask before a go in… thank you, Captain," Now all she had to do was wait.

* * *

Iris was in general anything but a coward but she was desperate and despite how much she might want to argue she could not deny that Roman was right, she was hopelessly addicted. That was why she was standing on top of a building nearby the site of the raid, that was why she abandoned the professionalism that she always prided herself for having just so she could stand like a slack jaw idiot and do nothing. Damn, you Roman! You knew that I would come here, that's why you told me about this raid because you wanted me to suffer! Deep down she knew that wasn't true but right now she couldn't care less about the truth.

"This is Delta four, three hostiles on the third floor west hall are about to break free from their room," said an unknown speaker which caught Iris' attention and sent her on the hunt.

Carefully following the voice she soon found the source, it was a rifleman and his spotter at work in their sniper nest overlooking the raid just like she was but most importantly they were not aware of her presence, how could they? Semblances like hers were rare and even then this was pure coincidence, it was by pure chance that the building they chose to set up happened to be the same one she chose to land on, it wasn't their fault for not taking this extreme rarity into account. But now that I'm here, what I'm I going to do next? Maybe I can… for a moment she imagined herself taking the rifle from their hands and using it to sow chaos among the officers in the building, It would be easy to take care of these two… she thought as she lifted her bow and reached for her quiver. Besides, I need that stuff or I'll die! Their actions are going to get me killed, so this isn't murder, this is self-defense!

The first arrow struck the rifleman in the neck killing her instantly, the second arrow struck the spotter in the shoulder as he turned around to face his attacker and the third arrow hit him in the chest and pierced his lung filling it with blood, realizing that he would soon die he tried to reach for the radio. However, Iris reached him first, and with a knife finished him off, afterward she pulled her arrows out of their bodies and used her knife to mutilate the wounds, enlarging them and making it impossible to tell that it had been an arrow that killed them.

She then took aim with the rifle.

* * *

Jaune and Nora reached the second floor just as the first bullet shattered through a window and hit an officer right in the gut causing him to bend over in pain with a cry that startled his comrades who sprung to help him. Then a second bullet flew into the room and hit another officer who fell, splitting the remaining officers' attention between the two who had been wounded by the unseen sniper and the horde trying to overrun them. Unfortunately, even in their drug-addled state the victims of Rage recognized an opportunity when they saw one, so they surged forward, their bodies crashing into the weakened human barricade of the SWAT and tried to dismantle it with a chorus of feral angry cries and bleeding knuckles with broken fingers lashing out and occasionally landing blows, their augmented strength causing every hit to strike with far greater force than normally possible and further destroying their hands in the process.

"Everyone cover your eyes!" Nora cried as she fired a flashbang into the savage crowd, blinding them as she ran past the officers alongside Jaune only stopping when they had reached the front line of the fighting. With her hands she grabbed the first of the blinded attackers and held him over her head before throwing him back towards his kin and knocking them over, "Everyone whose wounded or tired get out and warn the Captain about the sniper," She cried before running into the fight.

Jaune could hear bone cracking with every swing of his borrowed baton, each impact causing another person to crumble to the floor and lay still, for a moment he regretted ever coming here, "Brothers, these must be the people who've been disappearing ever since the Drug hit the streets… who would do something like this?" He wasn't asking anyone in particular and he seriously doubted he would be getting an answer in this lifetime, somethings just could never be understood and the sheer malicious that a person would need to have to have in order-

A bullet hit the side of his head and he fell to the floor.

Fortunately for him, the bullet did not enter his brain, it hit far too low for that but that didn't mean that it was harmless, far from it. The bullet penetrated through the cheekbone which shattered upon contact with the hot lead which as it continued its journey blazing a singed trail of gore in his flesh and popping his eyeballs as it made its way through his head until emerging from the other side in a shower of bone and blood and before finally coming to a rest inside a wall. For a moment Jaune was blind but he could still hear the sound of someone shouting his name, he could feel the blood pouring out of the wound and covering his face, he could feel his flesh starting to knit itself back together and he could feel someone grabbing a hold of him and pulling him forward, at first he thought that it was Nora keeping from falling, "Thanks for the-!"

A fist smashing against his face soon dispelled that idea, then he felt another set of hands grabbing Crocea Mors and trying to pull the shield out of his hands, Shit I can't let them disarm me! Ignoring whoever it was punching him, Jaune swung the Baton at the person who was trying to take his shield and broke their arms, then he swung again this time was whoever it was who had struck him and broke their jaw. By this time his eyes had regenerated enough to allow him to see blurry shapes and colors, the fight was beginning to come to a close as Nora used her grenade launcher to fire nonlethal shock grenades into the group to bring them down as the rest of the SWAT swarmed forward to secure them.

"We got this!" Someone shouted, "Go on and help the guys on the next floor, they're about to be overrun!"

Jaune headed toward the stairs following a pink and white blur that he assumed was Nora and has his eyes recovered he found to his pleasure that he was right about who that blur was but that soon faded as he thought about what had happened back there, Who was firing at us? Why would they fire at us? He pushed those thoughts to the back of his head and followed Nora as she was about to open the door when she suddenly slipped and fell backward, fortunately, he was able to catch her.

"Thank you for the save, Jaune." Now back on her feet, she looked at the floor to what it was that had made her slip and gasped, it was blood. There was blood seeping from under the door and onto the floor, to make matters worse the pair were slowly becoming aware of just how eerily silent everything was, the fighting was already over."We're too late…," She whispered as she looked at her weapon and wondered to herself, If I had just used the hammer instead of holding back… no, I can't think like that. She nodded to him and took up position right behind him with the Magnhild in grenade launcher form at the ready and together they went through the door.

* * *

There were several bodies on the floor, some SWAT but it was mostly the victims of the drug, fortunately, none of the bodies were that of Sun, Ren, or Neptune though that didn't necessarily mean they were okay. Something had gone horribly wrong and it wasn't too hard to figure out what had happened, "That sniper, that goddamn sniper I swear if they harmed even a hair on Ren's body!" Nora growled as she stepped forward alongside Jaune who was using his shield to protect himself and her just in case the gunman was still out there looking for a target. Taking a moment to glance at his face she found that it hadn't fully regenerated leaving a scar that would fade in time, as for his eyes they weren't done just yet, Looks like I'll be doing this by myself. She carefully walked up to the first police officer and began checking to see if he was okay, Unconscious with what appears to be a head wound but alive thanks to his helmet.

"Shit, we were too late," said Sun as he walked into the hallway from a door on the other side of the building as Ren and Neptune followed.

"Ren!" Before anyone else could say anything Nora bolted across the hallway and embraced her best friend and partner who was more than happy to return the favor. "I was so worried about you," She turned to Sun and Neptune and pulled them into a hug as well, "I was so worried about all of you! We all were!"

"Guys, what happened?" Jaune asked.

Neptune answered while looking at the carnage in front of him, "We heard there was trouble on the second floor so we went on ahead and cleared a path for the guys who were with us… that damn sniper ruined everything," nothing more needed to be said and after a few more seconds they got to work trying to save as many as they could.

* * *

When the requested Gas mask had arrived it came with a group of police officers eager to finally put an end to the raid, which was something that Pyrrha could understand and appreciate but as she descended the stairs into the basement she couldn't help but feel nervous wondering if she would have what it took to defend these men should something happen, None of them have their Auras unlocked and they aren't even SWAT but then again I suppose they do know what they're getting into… She ran up ahead, not to try and get away from them but rather to make herself the target of anyone or anything that was lying in wait.

But there was no ambush, there was no opposition of any kind. What she and cops found was a storage room with rows of well organized and sealed barrels, a safe that had the combination written on a note taped onto the front and a bookshelf filled with several notebooks that upon inspection was a complete and detailed account of the entire operation and finally one last door all the way in the back that opened to a crudely built tunnel that led to the sewers which sadly meant that people they were after were already long gone.

The feeling that Pyrrha and the others had was complex, on one hand, everything that they had found in this room was enough to shut down the whole operation several times over and even take down many dealers in the process, so in that regard, the raid was a slam dunk success. However, the casualties that had been sustained made it hard to celebrate and the fact that the people who had triggered the raid were gone without a trace made everything else feel almost hollow. They didn't even have any idea about who the sniper was or whether they had anything to do with people behind the drug. It was technically a victory but, This feels like a defeat, she thought to herself as she searched the room once, this time using the notebook for double-checking everything, "16, 17 and finally 18barrels in total and according to this," she flipped through a few pages, "These barrels contain Rage," for a moment she considered opening one to see how the stuff looked like but soon decided against it, Perhaps there some information in the notebooks. She began flipping through notes, Let's see, according to this they started with 30 barrels and used up 11 before we, wait they only used 11 barrels?! She put the notebook down and began counting the barrels in the basement once more, attracting the attention of the cops who were with her.

"Did you find something?" an officer asked, eager to find any lead.

Pyrrha held up the notebook and pointed towards the barrels, "According to this list they started with 30 barrels and used up 11 but there are 18 barrels here! There is still a barrel full of Rage somewhere out there!"

* * *

Author's Notes: Well that's the end of the Rage arc and it only a hint of what is to come. But before any of that, I am going to rewrite the story up to now. Don't worry, I'll be working on the new chapter as I rewrite but I won't upload it until I'm done, as for the rewritten chapters you won't have to read them to understand what's going on. I'm just rewriting them in order to expand, clarify, and keep everything as consistent as possible.

Also, I will keep everyone updated on which chapter has been rewritten along if any changes, thank for reading and I hope you'll stick with me I continue to drive this trainwreck!


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